


Ivar's secret admirer

by UltraVioletSky



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 09:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 28,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11506656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltraVioletSky/pseuds/UltraVioletSky
Summary: He is the sworn enemy of your kingdom, and yet you crave to meet the legend behind the infamous name Ivar the Boneless.





	1. Chapter 1

You hated wearing the dresses, and you hated to pretend every day that you are like all the girls. No one knew who you really are, and days were like a punishment for you. But still you would use every opportunity to sneak up on their meetings and listen the stories about their battles and strategies plotted in secrecy for moths upfront, all with hope that they could defeat a man which name would send a chills trough your spine every time.

"He has no weakness!" You were listening to your father, hidden under the table, after they came back from the battle covered in blood. His voice was high, anger was radiating trough his words and his cup was making the mini earthquakes on the table above you. You already knew who they are talking about, and a discrete grin illuminated your face. Your heart was beating faster from expectation for another exciting story about the Great Heathen commander.

"Sure he has them, father! He is just a cripple!" Your brother was again expressing his unjustified confidence, trying to convince himself that the fact, from which you admired the Heathen general even more, can help him somehow. Your brother was naive, and only strong with disrespectful words which caused in you strong desire to lift the table up and show him his place, but your self control kept you still hidden.

"Don't bet on that when you confront him Aethelred! I was fool once to underestimate that damn cripple and that cost us our kingdom!" Your heart beats were becoming harder to keep in a steady rhythm.

"I will be the one to stand on his way!" Aethelred was again trying to raise his position in the eyes of your father, and you knew that his jealousy of Alfred was always the root cause of his behavior. You loved them both equally, but Alfred was always favorite child to your parents and he always had the last word, only you didn't quite understood why.

"Lucky we will not have to dirty our hands with pagan blood any more, I think I found us solution!" You knew that irritating calmness in voice so well; it belonged to your brother Alfred, and it bothered you so much the way that he was know it all, and the way he was respected specially without any deeds to support that respect.

"I found us a champion who can clash his blade with Ivar. Fearless like the pagans and loyal to death to our God" You knew that Alfred met Ivar once, and that he respected him more than your father and Aethelred, but still he had a duty to defend his future Kingdom, even the birds knew that the crown was guarded for his head.

When you were younger you used to ask him a bunch of questions about your intriguing and favorite enemy, but the only thing you got to discover from Alfred was that he was incredibly smart, and that he is only few years older than you, that thought used to torture you a little, imagining him as your prince, because the boys around you were never interesting enough to steal your attention, but you also doubted that he could ever please your high aesthetic demands and thus spark a love interest in you.

You craved for adventure and fight, love was something you have never felt before, and you never believed that you will. Sure you had lot of proposals but your beauty bothered you a lot when they would try to approach you in romantic manner, and you knew you can never love them back.

Fight from the other hand was something that was rushing trough you veins as long as you could remember, but being born in your society it was also something you needed to suppress and hide, so you did. You were living as a shadow of your true self, only to please everyone around you, but inside you were so sick of pretending and lies, and you craved change so badly that was hurting.

So when you were hearing the stories about the Vikings and their fierce and beautiful women warriors you would feel a little better knowing that somewhere far exists a girls that are just like you, and that would wrap your hart with calmness and happiness, giving you a dose of hope that one day you will gather the courage and join them in their adventures, fearless and strong and proud to live in your skin without hiding and pretending.

But Alfred was about to crush your dreams with his next statement. "He also has a large army of Christian berserkers, but we must give him the hand of our sister if we want his help!" You lost all air from your lung somewhere in that time stop, and you couldn't move, from the pain that was reaching to your core. Anger was rising in you, and you were focusing all you rage in your tightened fists, stopping yourself to jump and discover your position. You learned to be good with patience, after years of surprising your true nature, but still pain was strong.

"(y/n) already reached the age for marriage, and Bishop Heahmund is a young and strong man and he also has a reputation of a handsome man, so I think our sister will be happy with a deal like this!" You were listening to him thinking to yourself how could he know what you wanted, how could anyone knew what would make your happy, tears were finding they way to reach the floor beneath you, but you were giving superhuman effort to stay silent.

"He will be great husband for our sister father. Believe me!" Alfred was so calm like always and he had a power to convince people to do as he pleased.

"I guess you are right Alfred, she must marry and we already have enough problems with her behavior!" The pain was gaining on its intensity inside you, but you were determined to stay through it all.

"I also think your idea is terrific brother, (y/n) is crazy, imagine the other day I caught her drawing some kind of unusual weapon, that girl always have some devilish ideas, like she is possessed!" He was talking about your designs for improvement of existing models of weapons, you knew how could you make them more efficient and deadlier, you knew many things, but also that they would never listen to a girl in that regards.

"Then it is decided! (y/n) will marry Bishop and as soon as better!"

 

 

Although you wanted to escape your fate, fear kept you in the reality you despised. Imaginary life you would comfort yourself with at night was just too far away, and maybe not as perfect as you wanted it to be.

The day of your wedding came, and looking at your family you didn't wanted to break their hearts and destroy their hope for taking back your kingdom from Pagans. You couldn't let your fantasies hurt them; your unhappiness was a small price for their happiness.

You were standing in front of altar, waiting for arrival of your future husband, praying that he is at least decent looking, but you rubbed your eyes in disbelief when he stepped in. Tall, dark and handsome, with azure eyes, so bright that darkness of a church you were in became just a tool for perfect contrast, you could easily take a swim in those eyes and drown your anxiety, as his presence was filling the room with his every step closer to you. Thinking back, and observing him closer, you were trying to recall have you seen a man of greater beauty in your life, and the answer was negative.

His eyes met yours, and his expression remained unchanged not a smile of approval for his future bride, not even a slightest change in his indifferent expression, you looked away as it was uncomfortable to keep your gaze on his, thinking that he obviously wasn't impressed or happy with this marriage agreement.

 

After the ceremony and barely talking with your husband, you were expected to spend a night together. He give you time to undress and prepare for his arrival, as he stayed longer on the feast drinking with you brothers, plotting their next move in a game with Ivar.

You have also drinking, trying to swallow cocktail of feelings torturing you, so now in front of a large mirror in your bedroom you were doing your best to prepare for what is to come. But you just couldn't you weren't ready, you didn't wanted, so it started choking you, hurting you from inside, your inability to chose important decision of giving your body to somebody for the first time. The tears flooded your face, and you wanted out, now you needed to escape, but how and where? Only way from your bedroom without being noticed by anyone and stopped was trough the window, and you scanned the height while the wind was sobering you with ice cold whips all over your barely covered skin.

You couldn't jump on your feet from a second floor and remain unharmed, but sobering effect of the cold weather reminded you of something even better. So you awoken your other side, returning back to the mirror, and grinning to yourself proudly, than going back to reach for a small jade bottle from under your bed.

When he came in, with redness in his cheek unbuttoning his shirt from the door, like a hungry wolf grinning at you, more than willing to attack you with his burning passion, you collected your guts and stopped him halfway. Walking slowly and confident towards him, letting the straps of your gown fall from your shoulder stealing his attention, igniting his passion even more.

He grabbed your shoulder with strong grip, and he was watching you like a pray, wandering more over your body, avoiding your eyes. He pushed you on the bed ruthlessly like you were a thing, a spark of anger rose in you, you had to much pride and dignity to be treated like that, but you composed yourself and continued your game, gesturing him to come closer.

He was accepting invitation, taking all of his clothes off before he joined you on the bed, and your curiosity stayed a little longer than you wanted on his carved muscles. He was a great fighter you heard, and now you could see the raw and tempting form of his legendary strength, never less the night wasn't according your terms so you continued playing the long game.

You dared to kiss him first, although he was behaving that he disguised the kiss, pining you to the bed after a few seconds, so you used your leg as a sprain, with your feet buried in his abdominal muscles pushing him away, using the opportunity to stand up from the bed. He was confused but he followed you to the window, grabbing your behind with one hand, accepting a glass you gave him with most fake smile you could compose in that moment.

His thirst left no drop in the glass, and now your smile were real, you walked to the bed again, signaling him to follow you which he did, clumsiness in his steps were a positive confirmation that your plan worked, so when his body reached soft pillows he fall asleep, meaning that you could sleep to, but you were awoken more than ever, feeling that instead of taking away your power, this marriage maybe just gave you. Thinking that would be easier to manipulate one man than three of them, imagining that one day you will get to meet the Great Heathen Commander on the battlefield.


	2. Chapter 2

After few months, you got to know you husband so well, you were living in his house, away from your family, and since he was absent all the time, you had enough time to work on your fighting skills and new designs of weaponry. No one was over your shoulder, like your brothers before, and Heahmund wasn't really interested in your way of spending time, he was cheating on you but you were the one who encouraged him to do so, bringing him other women in your bed. You were proud that you managed to keep your chastity in spite of temptations of his body, but his soul was keeping you away from surrendering completely.

You were working on your latest design of crossbow, thinking how recently you haven't heard much about pagans, about Ivar, it was like he was making a break from his raids trough your land, and somehow you were worried, and in the same time asking yourself, why do you feel this way when he is the enemy, and you don't even know him. From the stories in your current town of residence he was a ruthless beast whose hobby was tearing the lungs out of Christians, but his power and intellect amazed you, captivated you in inescapable net of burning curiosity to meet him.

Loud gasping for air interrupted your thinking, you turned around to see one of your husband solders with arrow sticking out from his torso, as he fall from his horse in front of you.

Trough his last remains of his strength he informed you that Heathens are raiding a nearby village. And there you were, thrown in temptation with conflict arising in your mind. Opportunity to see Vikings up-close, maybe even their Commander was something you craved for a long time, but knowing their reputation, chances to get out of there alive were not in your favor. You knew how to fight, you had advance weapons you could use to keep yourself breathing, but you would be alone. Reason returned you to your drawing for a brief, but heart just couldn't keep you in place. You climbed on the horse and defied reason.

 

 

You came to the sight that was making you sick, realizing that all was just a terrible idea, and you wanted to turn around your horse and run away as fast as you could

But then you heard another horse and running steps of dozen men coming your way, so you jumped of your horse and found a place to hide, between wooden boxes and vegetables. When you secured yourself enough, you dared to absorb the sight of Viking warriors, they moved across ravaged village like they owned the world, like nothing was sacred to them, and your eyes were hungry for more, hungry to find their leader.

Most of them had long hair, or long braids and manly beards, and they were wearing leather armors which looked more like casual part of clothes than the armor, you scanned for their blades, admiring the metal and design, getting the idea of potential danger. Subjectivity and excitement aside, most of them were attractive with strong figures broad shoulders and bright eyes framed with black makeup, which only intensified the light in their eyes.

They were taking everything valuable, turning every stone on the market, and you knew that is only a matter of time when they will get to you, but you couldn't move, and you didn't have any where to run to. Still you were observing them like under hypnosis anxious to see Ivar, and you started to feel a little worried and disappointed because maybe he didn't come with them this time, maybe you are about to lose your life for nothing. Bed idea, you knew and you hated yourself and your uncontrollable action that moment more than anything in the world.

Two of them come closer to your life saving wooden boxes, and one of them was reaching for the apple on the floor, looking his boyish delight with a sight of red fruit, you somehow liked him a little, but his strong smell of unusual herbs make you sneeze, and that was the end of your safety.

The other one kicked the boxes revealing your crumpled body to the army of angry Pagans, and you knew that you won't die without a fight although all odds were against you; you jumped on your feat like you're made of feather, pulling your crossbow and aiming at the boy with an apple. He raised his brows at you more amused than scared or worried that you had him on your aim. And rests of them were waiting for his sign; than you knew he must be important.

He was biting his apple, like danger from your bow was transparent to his senses, and his gaze were wandering around your hands, touching carefully every weapon you entangled yourself with, the daggers in your gloves, the sword on your belt.

Fearless as he was he started approaching you, as well as two of them from behind. You thought you can take a life if you ever get in a situation like this one, where yours was on stake, but some strong inner brake in your body, missed his head and landed a tip of your bow in his shoulder, making only your position harder to survive.

Apple hit the floor, time flow slowed down for you as their hands burned your skin catching you from behind. You could feel your blood vessels tightening under their grip on your forearms, but your blood was pumping faster, defying the impossible, and you surprised them with a move which your father thought you, freeing yourself from their grip, taking your sword ready to fight till the end.

And after lifetime of suppressing your strength and being a good girl you felt freedom fueling your system enhancing your senses.

Apple boys shoulder was bleeding but he took his sword in left hand wielding it around like he was preparing to play with his deadly toy, winking at you. You sighted little annoyed by his fearlessness, thinking in a flash who could be charming Viking, revising your memory only Ivar's brother Hvitserk came to your mind. And if you were right you just shoot a brother of your idol and if you managed to survive by some miracle the rage of most ruthless man will be released upon you. 

 

 

"Look what do we have here, a Christian female warrior!" amusement on Hvitserk's face irritated you when you pulled out your sword. He was laughing in your face, circling around you, leaving a red drops all around, like he was marking the arena for the upcoming combat.

The rest of his soldiers were hungry for more blood, and you could hear them cheering for their champion. All of that was contributing to the accumulation of your strength and burning desire to prove them all wrong.

The cat and mouse game was over when he clashed his blade with yours, amusement on his face was raised on another level, realizing that you knew how to use deadly weapon. You felt unusual trill spreading through your body, giving you the power to attack, it was like you were dancing, only this time you were enjoying yourself.

Rain was casted upon you, enhancing your awareness about the position of his sword but with every new swing his strength was growing, it became harder to keep your balance.

"Finish her off, Ivar said we are leaving!" You heard one of them shouting, and the name in the loud sentence was the end of your balance, next moment you were lying on the ground with shiny blade ready to pierce your chest.

He hesitated; you noticed by the way he lowered the tip of his blade slowly on your chests, observing your body in a lustful manner. Then he cut a piece of your dress, and he spoke to the other man.

"She is feisty! I want to have her first!" The thought of your dark future, tightened your lungs, but then again a spark of hope was hard to contain on your face, it surfaced as a mischievous grin, confusing Hvitserk who couldn't separate his eyes from you too.

"We don't have time!" Older Viking approached Hvitserk, studying his wound with concern.

"Then we will bring her along!" Two of them obeyed their prince grabbing you, pulling your back to your feet, and the man who appeared to be Hvitsers's friend picked up your crossbow from the ground, observing it, than trailing back to the bow in Hvitserk's shoulder.

"Ivar won't like this. It is better for the poor girl to finish her off now!"

"Not before I taste her first, afterwards he could do as he pleases, why should I care!" You knew you should be terrified, but instead excitement was overflowing your mind. You were so content with yourself; It was so worthy to spend all those hours learning the Norse language with Alfred.

The tall man who was holding your crossbow in his hand, was looking at you he, even find on the aim of your weapon, you recognized his curiosity as a admirable trait, and got the urge to explain him more about the hidden possibilities of the gadget he held in his hand, but bloody circumstances were demanding different kind of behavior for you now, so you looked away ignoring the pain and exhaustion from the combat, composing your calmness, keeping excitement for new acquaintance under the veil of indifference.

Curious Viking nodded, and that was when strong punch caused by one of men that were holding you deprived you from your consciousness.

 

 

When you opened your eyes, you noticed the lack of illumination bothering your sore eyes. Looking down on your body you noticed that your clothes still remained on you, but the thickness of the fabric was not enough to keep you warm in a place that was to cold, you realized that you were lying on the floor of small and empty room, completely alone.

Awoken, you focused on the sounds around you, at first silence was surrounding you, but intensifying the effort you could detect laughing sound somewhere above your head. Remembering that Vikings captured you, also reminded you that he must be close. Adrenaline from anticipation made you get up and search for an exit.

You approached the large wooden door, but you couldn't open them, still you kept pulling the knob, feeling the panic coming to keep you company and mess with your reason again. Fear of closed space, was something you should thank your brothers for as they locked you when you were kids and left you locked in small room in the basement for two days, since than your fearlessness got a flaw.

It was getting harder to breathe, so your voice liberated highest frequencies in order to escape from you as you were unable to leave the damn room. You were screaming so loud and so long that you failed to hear running footsteps; your attention was grabbed only for a sight of opened door and Hvitserk entering the room.

He ignored your fear, your screaming and the Goosebumps on your skin, he was came to collect his reward in the shape of your body, and your screaming obviously contributed to his desire.

Positive side of panic was adrenaline high which dared you to spin your leg up high in the air, and land your foot on his chin leaving him unconscious, so you ran through that door like the devil was after you hungry for air and freedom, without thinking about the consciences.

Hall in which you were racing at your max speed was long and wide, dark and cold and also tied to your past, but you were blinded by fight or flight response in your brain that you almost failed to notice that you were located in your grandparent's castle, the castle where you grow up. His portrait on the wall, which you almost hit with your body, had the effect of strong brake keeping you unable to move.

Of course they took you to Wessex that was Ivar's home now, you should have known it. He must be close the thoughts were defying the danger, and the death, and the fact that his hobby is killing, never less you needed to find him. But strong arm wrapped tight around your neck brought you back in seriousness of situation; his skin was merging with yours tighter as air was becoming luxury.

"I found her!"

"Good, bring her to the throne room!" You recognized that voice, his owner was curious friend of Hvitserk. Realizing that the King must be on his throne you didn't need them to drag you there, you were cooperating and stepping determined and with pride in your stance.

Years passed since your last visit to the throne room, so now everything looked different, so different and strange that you had feeling you enter a totally new room.

At first you noticed a group of men sitting around the dining table, still ignoring your presence. One of them you recognized immediately. Curios guy also meet your gaze with a dose of concern and maybe a hint of compassion. But your didn't stayed long enough to interpret the meaning, your eyes were now like a researchers tool, watching the rest of men, wondering is Ivar among them, and if it is how will you know.

At first glance, and excitement boiling in your guts, it was just like you were blind. But then one set of eyes caught you under strong influence. Time flow stopped, reality blurred its lines and suddenly you were drowning in the depths of the wild sea located between the thick eyelashes. His stare was so intense so hard to bear so you looked away, and almost forget who you were looking for.

"So, this is the girl that wounded Hvitserk?" The owner of most captivating eyes asked curious guy and bursted into laughter soon after. You could feel his eyes on you and you felt self-conscious aware how terrible you must look. "Hm.. she doesn't look dangerous too me, he was probably drunk again! Letting some random Christian girl to kick his ass!" His voice was full of arrogance and you felt annoyed by his coment, wishing to challenge him and show him how un dangerous you was. Instead your spark of anger dared to look at him one more time, but this time as objective as it was possible.

Could he be Ivar? You kept this question aside ignoring the possibility, because Ivar from you imagination wasn't an arrogant brat, and he certainly wasn't the master piece of the Gods with his razor sharp jaw, thick dark hair braided neatly and tight into long ponytail, that was falling over one of his Apollon like sculpted shoulders.

Observing him longer you were starting to feel intimidated by his omnipotent presence, realizing that your hair was a mess, bruises were imprinted on your pale face, and your dress was stained in blood, and mud. The fact that he wasn't keeping his eyes of you wasn't helping at all.

Only positive thing in whole situation was that you were getting warmer, and maybe that you are still alive.

"What we should do with her?" Little older, but also attractive Viking with lightest hair and a similar hairstyle asked him, and your reason was telling that he must be Ivar since he is the one who decides. But it was impossible for you to believe with ton of conflicted thoughts stumbling upon you why it is a good and why it is a bad thing.

He took a large sip of his drink keeping his eyes on you like you were sent to entertain him.

"Hm... I don't know... she is so plain... and boring!" You were boiling, as the fighter inside you was getting a strong urge to stab a fist in that arrogant face. "And we don't need her so... we should probably kill her!" He was speaking to the blonde guy but not for a second he didn't letting you of his sight, as like he noticed that you could understand everything.

You couldn't hide your anger anymore, patience was expiring and you dared to meet his damned beautiful eyes again!

"An on the other hand... she kicked Hvitsersk's arse... so I would love to see that again!" He smiled at you friendly disarming you again and surprising you with contradictory facial expressions. 

You heard running footsteps, and you knew that Hvitserk regained his consciousness from your knock out. When you saw him disoriented and furious entering the room, you couldn't help but smile, again satisfied with your skills and their power over Viking prince.

Arrogant Viking was spreading his eyes to the sight, nearly choking with his drink. "Where were you brother, hm?" he asked and started laughing as he already knew the answer, than he raised brow looking at you again, and nodding as he was giving you credit for knocking out his brother.

Brother? It got to your mind after compliments to your ego, that he addressed Hvitserk "brother" so that narrowed his possible identity to three persons Bjorn, Ubbe and your favorite son of Ragnar.

He gestured to the man who was holding you, to bring you closer to their table. Walking slowly his way you failed to notice the step in front of you and you tripped, the result of your clumsiness caused the sound of his loud laughter. While you were getting up, through the strains of your hair, you caught a glimpse of his smile hating the fact that it was the cutest smile you ever saw, you frowned when you got closer to him, mad but mostly at yourself for what you gotten yourself into and for who?

"We should kill her immediately!" Hvitserk said, and you got a feeling that his behavior is unusual for his character which meant that you managed to awoke his darker sid. He took the knife from the table, approaching you with the sharp end.

"Mmh, not just yet!" Mr. Perfect looks and annoying attitude, raised the tone of his voice, and he left Hvitserk frozen like he had some magical power over him. Than he folded his arms over his chests giving you all of his attention which turned on your inner heating and probably intense blush on your cheeks. He touched his lower lip with the tip of his tongue, making you notice the shape of his full lips.

"What is your name girl?" He surprised you with knowledge of your language, and his question started a bunch of them in your head. What will you tell him, the truth, the fact that you are a daughter of a king, and a wife of his enemy... and you intellect was guiding you to realize that if you do so, he will use you to get what he wants from your father, on the other hand if you don't he might just kill you.

"Why does it matter to you?" You answered in angry tone, and he bursted in loud laughter again, observing you like you were his new toy.

"You are right, I don't care about your name, I wouldn't even bother to remember it anyway!" you could see confusion on his face and slight change in the way he was focusing you with his gaze after your answer. "However, there is one thing that interests me!" he stated raising your crossbow from the floor beside him, and giving his all attention to your proudest design. "Where did you get this, hm?"

For a moment you found yourself enjoying the sight of deadly weapon in even deadlier hand, it suited him so good, and memory kicked in, how you loved to imagine that the Greatest Warlord uses your weapons in his legendary battles, you couldn't help but smile, and forget how to speak, making his impatience obvious.

"You don't have to tell me, I might just try it now on you! I bet that it just looks like a weapon!" Instead of fear you felt insulted. "Yes, you can, but then you will never be able to learn his true power!" Your confidence left him confused again.

"Give that stupid thing to me; I want to be the one who takes her miserable life!" Hvitserk approached him, looking at you with a large vein bulging from his neck.

"You two destroyed my lunch! You don't have right to take her life now, when she is helpless, you had your chance! And she deserved right to at least try to defend herself!" Were you imagining his words? You shocked your head, looking at brothers frowning at each other; his statement was unexpected but righteous and surely more than beneficial for your unpredictable future. "Let her rest, eat and take a bath! And then you will fight her again!"

In all of his wonderful plans for your day you could hear "eat" echoing the loudest, which drew your eyes to the feast on their table, reminding you that you craved to comfort your hunger. Their food was so colorful and smell of it was calling you to come closer, so unconsciously you made a move, and guard who was holding your arm followed letting you come close to the table, next moment you realized that he let you go completely, and that the knife was on your reach as well the most gorgeous Viking. Instead to move away he leaned closer not moving his curiosity of your face with devilish smirk on his lips.

"Try this! I bet you never tasted something so good!" he took a piece of meat and offered you, insisting with his nodding to accept and your hunger attacked his more than generous gift in given situation. You couldn't help but thank him with a smile, and he smiled back revealing his pearly teeth and some strange satisfaction when you ripped the bite from the bone like your life was depending on it.

"Better enjoy, because it is your last!" Hvitserk spited trough his teeth, and your fearlessness let you enjoy in indeed tastiest food you tried in your life, you were somehow happy and inpatient to demonstrate all of your power in front of a man who underestimated you and fascinated you, leaving your brain and body on fire, making you feel more alive than ever.


	3. Chapter 3

Was he Ivar? The unanswered question was bothering your mind, more than inevitable danger for your existence. He ordered the guard to take you, to prepare for fight, and on the way out from the throne room, your head was torturing your neck, unable to look away from his stunning beauty. The better question was: Is this real?

 

Anticipation was dominating your internal world, as the time to fight seemed like million years away. They didn't treat you like a prisoner and you knew that must be because of his order. They even gave you a room, a real room with a comfy bed and a bathtub so you could relax before Hvitserk attacks you with his rage.

Guards was outside and you were drowning in your reflection on the large mirror, thinking how the bruises hid your beauty, thinking how he was observing you in your worst edition, trying to recall was disgust coloring his eyes.... but it was more than that in that deep ocean between his eyelashes, his curiosity was concentrated on you, and yours was also focusing him, like he was the only man in the room.

All those punches from before must have been damaged your reason, it struck you, there is no way that you could possibly win against Ivar's brother, and your chests became a source of unpleasant anxiety that was spreading through your body, on the thought that your life might be just wasted because of reckless, stupid and immature decision.

Panic kicked in again, telling you to run away, you met the Vikings, and probably their commander who is immature and arrogant, evil and breathtakingly gorgeous, in one word to much of a bite for you to take. But it was late now when you heard Vikings who came to take you straight into life or death situation.

 

Loud cheering was deafening your random thoughts, and you're hungry eyes were like a machines with only one goal to locate the ocean deep ones. Than Hvitserk shielded your horizon with his angry expression and you could feel his breathing getting closer and more intense as he pulled your hair and whispered. "I hope you are ready to dine in Hell tonight!"

You inhaled deeply and closed your eyes for a moment of inner composure, when you opened them; you pushed him unexpectedly in the center of marked area for upcoming combat.

He was holding a sword in unharmed hand, and you were still unarmed, using your mind to plot a strategic advantage because the strength was evidently on his side.

The shouting of blood thirsty Vikings was intruding your focus, you were giving your best to breathe as your father thought you, and exclude everything accept movements of your enemy. But now they instead of "Kill her!" you noticed they become louder and that they shouted "Ivar!" it was a bad moment to lose your composure as Hvitserk used your wandering eyes to kick you on the ground.

"Wow... Brother! Where is your honor? And where is her weapon for Odin's sake!" Noble devil released his dominant voice giving you enough time to get up.

"This is stupid!" You heard the sound of sword falling in front of your feet, and saw Hvitserk unarmed ready to give up. "Since when we treat Christian prisoners like this?" He pulled the short knife from his boot and started walking your way with sharp end. "Like she would stand a chance!" Everything happened in a flash the blade of a knife was an inch away from your throat and in the almost same time instance flying axe broke the knife in half sobering you from confusion, pumping you with adrenaline rush and readiness to fight for your life.

"Enough!" Loud voice coming from behind your back sent chills down your spine. "You are right she don't have a chance in combat against you! But still I can see that she is brave and I respect that, so instead of fighting you she will cross her blade with someone of similar constitution!"

Realizing that level of danger dropped a little you used opportunity to turn around and drown in the bluest sea again. He was sitting on the throne with a cup in his hand, with fur around his neck, and then you knew he must be Ivar, king Ivar the Boneless and that you are damned beyond salvation.

His gaze clashed with yours and you were again separated from reality, trapped in his world. He stayed longer than it was decent, like he was absorbing your energy and you had to look away, knowing that if you don't you might just lose this battle.

He chose one of their women warriors, which was few years younger than you, but beautiful and fierce, so you admired her more than you were supposed to, and she showed no mercy attacking you with strong blood lust, you were thinking you yourself Hvitserk is a kitten compared to this girl.

Losing this fight wasn't an option, your determination was ignoring the pain, and you knew that you will suffer for days if you survive, but now weren't a moment to give in to the pain.

You somehow managed to stab your opponent in the stomach, but when you saw her falling you realize a seriousness of situation and you regretted immediately approaching her bloody wound with desire to save her.

Silence and loud pounding in your chest, were the only sounds in the moment of greatest fear, did you just take a life? You were nodding pressing the wound giving your best to stop the bleeding.

"Help me!" You shouted in their language, and it was like they were ignoring you, like they didn't care if the girl will live or die, that was so wrong for you, and you continued with screaming. "Help me save her, please!"

"What is wrong with you?" You could hear his arrogance and you got a overwhelming desire to punch him.

"She will die! And you are all cowards if you let her!" You stud up approaching him furiously with blood dripping from your trembling hands.

"I wasn't the one who stabbed her in the guts, or am I wrong!" He raised his hand, and looked you with arched brow and clenched jaw. You wanted to contain a river from your eyes but you were powerless to do so. "If you were on her place she wouldn't even blink, actually she would be cheering now as she cuts of your head as a trophy!"

"Please I beg you... help her! I don't care what will happen to me!" You feel on your knees in front of Heathen's king.

"I knew you Christians are crazy, but to which extent that was a mystery to me!" He said leaning closer to you, examining your tears in disbelief, and you could notice how his expression softened a little. "Take her to the healer!" He ordered his man to take the wounded girl, and you were thankful more than reasonable, so you got up and kissed his hand, on what his eyes spread and he glared at you seriously.

"Why did you done that?!" He asked observing his hand, than returning his eyes at you.

"Oh I apologize... it's just our way of saying thank you!" You smiled, feeling stupid for your reckless gesture.

"You don't need to thank me... I didn't do it for you girl! Do you really think that I would let my solder die, hm? He raised his brows and his tone.

"Can we kill her now?" You heard Hvitserk sneaking up from behind.

"No! She just won her life! And she is interesting in some strange way... we might just keep her as our slave!" He said fiercely, finishing his drink and looking at you with new brilliance added to his deep blue eyes, your heart skipped a beat under his attention, and you knew than adventure of a lifetime just started.

 

 

You couldn't let your tiredness take you in sleeping state... fate of your opponent was still a mystery. Did they succeed to save her from the death... or you just became a murderer. Thoughts were igniting stronger pain, than wounds and bruises on your exhausted body. You were turning around in bed with eyes open to the darkness, with feeling that time stopped its flow with intent to torture you.

You needed cold and sharp dose of oxygen to fill your lungs with hope, and your current state of mind moved your body out of the room without consulting the reason, which would be scared to risk being caught by the guards.

When you stepped out from the room, being alone in long hall surprised you the most, you were their prisoner and you could escape or even try to attack them, why nobody was guarding your room? Are they under attack, you wondered, so far your husband must to have noticed your absence and informed your father so you knew that they will look for you, but castle was silent and your need to go out.

Should you escape now, you were in dilemma because if you do, you will never get to know is the girl survived... Still, you got outside of castle and looking at the stars above, you enjoyed the air and a silence for a while, trying not to think. Silence didn't lasted for long it broke with loud sound of hammering and instinctively you followed the sound giving in again to your curiosity instead of reason.

The frequency of hammer crashing hot metal, was indicating certain feeling inside the restless blacksmith. Rage of such intensity was unknown to you, but it was drawing you closer to the hut, which source of illumination was flame visible trough the small window. You sneaked up to the window daring yourself to look inside.

Smell of hot metal and the sight of it excited you a bit, reminding you of your drawings which were waiting to be molded in shape of your inventive imagination, but you wasn't strong enough to forge the metal, and a lot of them stayed just drawings with immense potential captured on paper.

Raising yourself on fingertips you saw the back of the man who was igniting the sparks. His carved muscles was decorated with black ink and his hair was falling to the half of his back tied high in pony tail, the color and the length of it reminded you of Ivar, but you rejected that thought because your logic was implying that the Dane king arrogant as he was, wouldn't spent his nights working one of the hardest jobs in their society.

It was hard to look away from his body embraced with candlelight, especially because he was reminding you of Ivar, and your mind started playing movie of him in main role without his clothes, which was the perfect distraction from the torturing agony about the outcome of your battle.

His arm was like a machine, molding the weapon with Godlike precision, and his breathing was louder with every new hit, and it sounded so good that you wanted to feel it all over your neck.

Enough, your inner voice commanded, and you sighted loudly in silence between his hammering, and he turned around, when you saw his profile, you started to comfort yourself: I'm hallucinating... it must be from all the head punches I got today, but your body was confused almost the same as your head so it failed in coordination you tripped second time in one day, and on the way to the ground you produced loud sound which was impossible to stay unnoticed.

"Who is there?" He asked getting only a silence as an answer. You were wiping a mud from your face, watching at the swelling at your ankle witch exploded after tricky fall. Pain forced you down on your knees when you tried to get up, and you tried again determined to get away from him, you managed this time but he crawled like a snake in front of you.

"You are running from us?" He asked.

"No... I just couldn't sleep!"

"I see... you are concerned about the fate of the girl you stabbed!"

"Yes! Tell me do you know how she is?" You said trying to hide the overwhelming pain and keep yourself upright, but he scanned every inch of you with unexpected concern, and he started getting closer to you.

"You know, for someone who can fight like you, it amuses me how clumsy you can be!" He smiled at you, asking permission with his gaze to touch your newest injury. "Sit down!" He commanded.

"In the mud?"

"Well I can't carry you to your comfy bed!" He raised his brow, and you lowered yourself in on the dirty ground again, loudly letting the pain out. He was inspecting you injury, touching the hurt area carefully as you were looking at the stars, still waiting for your answer.

"It's just a little strain, you should rest few days, but you will be ok!"

"Will she be ok?"

"I can't believe it... you are really crazy beyond any measure! Look at you!" He got closer to your body, removing the strains of your hair from your face, gazing at bruises on your face. "You are beaten up really bad... you could be raped or killed any moment, and yours crazy brain is worried for some enemy who you wounded in order to save your life!"

"I need to know!" You said loudly with tears filling your eyes, and he sighted loudly looking away.

"I don't know! We will find out tomorrow!"

"Thank you"

"It's all right, just don't kiss my hand again!" He winked, and swiftly removed his eyes from yours, and you smiled thinking how this time you wanted to kiss him somewhere else, but he raised a wall and you weren't in the mood for trying to break it... there was no point... he was out of reach and you were out of your mind.

"Can you stand?" he asked.

"It hurts but, I think I can!"

"Its not good to put on weight on your ankle now, wait for me?" He looked at you concerned, and reminded you of your father, but you made a peace with your fate deciding to listen. He crawled swiftly from your sight, and you were thinking; if it wasn't this pain, I would need someone to pinch me and convince me that this isn't just one of my crazy dreams.

He was quick, coming to you again but this time dragging long pieces of metal, and fear showed up to remind you of his wicked reputation, it was impossible for him to be so caring and kind, so instinctively you started dragging your body back.

"Miss Clumsiness, if I wanted to kill you, you would be dead long ago!" He said annoyed, and he thrown the metal construction, close enough so you could see, that he brought you crutches. "Use this to go back to your room, and tomorrow I will come to tell you what happened with the wounded girl!"

"I'm not clumsy!" You said in high and fierce tone as you were getting up, and again you lost your balance.

"No, you are not!" He was trying to hold the laughter hidden, but he failed and the sound of it was annoying you, as well the beauty of it.

"It's this stupid thing!" You looked at crutch under your arm. "How can you even use this, when the end of it is pointy?"

"That is how it is supposed to be!" he answered looking at you confused.

"Really?" You raised your brows inspecting the design again. "You know how to make weapons, but these crutches are unusable!"

"What do you can possibly know? You are just clumsy Christian maiden!" He was little insulted narrowing those brilliant blue eyes at you. You remembered how you had to hide your talents in your world, but you were now in totally new one, and you wanted to show him all of you.

"You would be surprised with my knowledge!" Crazy confidence dictated your sentence, and you left him speechless, he rolled his jaw and raised his brow willing to hear more. "For example I can make these crutches stable and usable!"

"Oh, tell me now and that you are blacksmith and you will forge them yourself!" He sounded sarcastic, and you could notice a hint of sadness in his expression.

"That, I can't be!" You sighted. "But if you want we will make them together I promise they will serve you better than these ones!"

He looked away somewhere in the distance and you noticed increased glow under his thick eyelashes. "Just forget it, it you can't go back to your room without hurting your ankle, I will tell someone to carry you there! Actually I will do it anyway because knowing you might lose you're your life on the way!" he pierced you with his gaze and you scowled at him.

"Why there is no guard in front of my door?" You asked.

"Why would I deprive my men of sleep for some clumsy maiden, hm?" he insulted you again.

"I'm an enemy!" You hissed, he started laughing and you were more and more annoyed with his arrogance.

"Hahaha look at you! You are funny if you think someone can ever be afraid of you!" You started feeling self-conscious, touching your still swollen face, hating that he sees you at your worst.

"If that is what you want to think, than think it Boneless!" You replied with confidence reminding yourself of your worth, succeeding to compose yourself and create shield wall from his beauty. A spark of light increased the brightness in his eyes and he started approaching you, not moving his intense gaze from your eyes. Instinctively you started dragging your body back increasing your speed with his every breath, closer to your skin, he bitten his lip stopping himself in one place, in the next moment you felt fire on your ankle as he pulled you beneath him.

You closed your eyes, and tried to punch him with your fist and move his massive body from your breathing space, but his large hand stopped you in front of his nose. He enveloped your whole fist in his hand squeezing the scream out of your throat, sliding lower to you wrist he pinned both of your hands above your head.

Composing yourself from the new dose of pain you glanced at his satisfied expression.

"Enemy!" he said and sound of his loud laughter filled your ears. "No, a lot of things, yes I think you can be... but enemy a threat to me, my brothers and our people...impossible!"

"Really Boneless?" You raised your brow, feeling enhanced intensity of pain shock trough your body. "Well when I heard for the first time that great Heathen commander is cripple I couldn't believe it too, and look where we are now!" Intense nose breathing and narrowed cold steal look, bulging vain on his muscular neck, and in the next moment he was holding both of your hands with one, while with other he approached the blade of his knife to your neck.

"You are nothing... an insect craving to be crushed" He was speaking slowly trough his teeth, increasing the pressure on your neck. "Tiny grain of sand lost forever!" he was moving the cold blade from your neck to your face, touching your lips leaving the trail of blood in your mouth, getting closer to your eyes, but looking deep inside vastness of magnificent blue, under his eyelashes you weren't afraid, you couldn't, because you were completely in the moment composed calm and mesmerized with everything you saw inside.

"You are not afraid?" He was looking at you changing the moods of his enigmatic expressions, while he was cutting through the first layer of your skin.

"Of, dying no! Go ahead Boneless! You have my permission!" Your crazy courage took over, and he clenched his jaw, inhaling deeply raising his knife and body up high above you. You wanted to see everything locked inside of moment, and he stabbed so fast that you only heard sound of knife drilling dip inside of ground near your head.

"You are more amusing to me... alive and clumsy!" His devilish smirk, increased your heartbeats, and he freed your hands, returning himself into siting position giving you his hand, helping you to do the same. You sighted the pain, spited the blood, and your head fall unconscious in his lap.


	4. Chapter 4

Pain was strong, but something stronger tortured you when you woke up. You never thought that among other things that intrigued you about him, Ivar would be also insanely handsome man. You weren't prepared for his deep bright eyes that could see trough you and deprive you from reason. Where you alive after the touch of his blade, or brutal fight he put you trough, was it all just a dream or reality tempted you more than ever...

One of his men brought you outside where the heathen lords enjoyed their first daily meal, he throw you on the wooden floor, like you were sack of potatoes, and your eyes faster and magnetized caught a glimpse of your captor. Blonde servant girl was pouring him drink, and your mind immediately saw them together in passionate act, that made you ask yourself is he married, does he have love of his life and who is she, because it was impossible that such a man be alone at night.

"This Christian worm is still alive?" sound of familiar voice forced a loud sight from your chest. And the next you heard was the earthquake on the table and another familiar voice that draw a smirk on your lips.

"Enlighten us Hvitserk, we were blind to the fact!" Smirk on your face transformed in smile when you heard Ivar defending you on his weird sarcastic way. "Why wouldn't she be, hm? She fought for her life and she won!"

"So we will take her as our own now... a filthy Christian snake that tried to kill me, why bother? You want to have her? Long interval of silence followed Hvitserks words and you looked at Ivar, refusing to blink.

"She is not my type!" His words cut through your lungs, as he crushed your subconscious dreams, but pride in you put a guard on your face, as you continued to look at his conflicting expression. "Don't get your hopes up high brother; I still have pair of perfectly functioning eyes unlike you, if you think I could like this thing!"

Oh he just not said that, your rage dressed up all in hate. Arrogant annoying cripple, your vanity dictated your thoughts: Who do he think is, you stud up from the floor ignoring the pain, nurturing the anger. You wanted to spill the drink all over his cocky smile, but patience coming somewhere from the depths of your silenced reason it was better to keep the fact that you knew their language for yourself. You smiled trough your teeth, and grabbed larges piece of chicken from their table.

"Yeah look at her, she even don't have manners, we should cut her hand for this!" Hvitserk again expressed his hate, but all from him was more entertaining than defensive, so far in Vikings world Ivar was the only one who could hurt your feelings.

"Nobody is cutting anything from her! Understand!" He spoke to the crowd, but your eyes were so narrowed at his charismatic presence that you felt, one inch more and you could crush your eyeballs.

He used his arms as a support to force himself in standing position, the tone of his voice rose with every new word, and fire in his eyes exploded while he spoke. "Largest raid is in front of us... this Christian woman will serve my plan to bring you victory in the name of Odin, our all father!"

Only the energy of his presence had power of the oceans and the winds, he was a natural born leader, and you hated the fact that every cell in your body, vibrated in resonance with his voice, while he inflamed the whole heathen army with the promise of a new adventure.

It took you a while to interpret the meaning of words, to realize that he was planning to use you... that explained his glimpses of kindness and his noble decision to spare your life.

"Follow me!" His attention landed on you, surprising you in your angry thoughts, he gave you command as he lowered his body from the chair, dragging away from the crowd. Ignoring the pain in your, leg, soul and every atom in your body, you walked behind him, thinking how you won't let yourself to be a fool, because of some arrogant pretty boy from hell invaded your reason. You will be the one who will use him instead, to take back what is yours by right, and help your family to eradicate the devils from your land. That thought caused the ends off your lips defy the strong gravity of all the darkness you let yourself in.

"You, come here!" He called one of his men. Man leaned closer to his leader and he whispered something you couldn't quite understand. Next thing you know you were high in his arms, and three of you were going somewhere away from everyone.

"You can tell your guy here, to let me down. I can walk on my own!" you shattered torturing silence following the anxiety, and he stopped for a moment inspecting you with his arched brow. 

"You are in pain!" He looked concerned, but remembering his real intention, you knew different.

"So what, pain should be embraced!" You pushed the chest of man who was your ride, and jumped on your feat, he sighted annoyed and he gave a sign to the man to leave you alone. Soon after, he stopped climbing on the tree stump, calling you with his hand to come closer.

Having him on the same eye level destroyed your hope to avoid his piercing gaze.

"I gave you promise last night... and it is my duty to tell you..." stronger terror emerged from the depth of your emotions. The girl and her fate... this was all about.... He brought you here to tell you... and the scene was not appropriate for the good news. Gravity pulled you closer to him, and storm of tears was already forming collecting every drop of liquid you had in your body.

"Ingrid... the warrior you fought...she is in Valhalla now!" you were about to fall on your knees shattered inside, changed forever and his hand caught your waist and he pulled you so close that your heavy head fall on his chest. "Listen, this is normal in our world it is honor to die in the battle, that is our way! She was lucky because worthy opponent sent her in eternity!"

Harsh and dark reality was your life now, and in moment of guilt, impenetrable layer shielded your heart, making him smaller. Ivar's hand reached under your chin forcing you to clash his gaze again, absorbing his strength you suppressed the nervous breakdown and flood of sadness.

He had a sword on his belt, and you had nothing to lose, insanity was ruling your internal world, your eyes locked on his helped you distract him enough to steal the weapon. You jumped back finding a balance despite throbbing pain in your ankle, and he destroyed your focus with his loud laughter.

"That is the blood lust, it just grows stronger after the first time!" He stated equaling the danger threat from you with attack of mosquito.

"It's not the blood lust! It is you!"

"If that is what you like to think, than think it little worm!"

"It is you Boneless! You and your wicked mind games! I know you two days and you already turned me into insane hysterical killer!"

"Come on I know you want to soak that blade with my blood!" he teased, as he was enjoying in your overemotional outburst, and you hesitated if you should go for it... but your hand released the grip letting the sword fall.

"Really...I was looking forward to our fight!" He gave you puppy eyes and done the thing with his lip, which was drawing insane women in you. you turned your back on him leaving while crum of sanity still lives in your brain.

"Oh you are running away?" you heard him while you were jumping further away from him.

"I'm not running away! Yet, but I need to rest!" without words you both knew that destiny had plans to keep you together while one of you don't win and destroy the other. 

"Good, rest well because tonight is a feast, and I want you there!" 

Memory of his harsh words, his mischievous intent, was enhancing your desire to help your father, your brothers to defeat the heathen devil so acting needed to become your priority skill in Vikings world.

"Sure I'll come, if nothing how can I miss your food!"

 

 

Viking feast... mhhm the smell of roasted meet was attracting you to your seat. Imagine that, little devil Ivar even dared to put you next to him, as a guest. You dressed up in clothes servant girls brought you, you brushed your hair, and ice you held on your swelling helped your eyes look like they usually do, but broken blood vessels still colored the large part of your face.

Ivar was sitting next to you, but he ignored to notice your arrival, and you tried to do the same. He was talking to his friend with tattooed face and beautiful hair.

"He really said that?" Ivar was asking his friend, and your ear followed the conversation, two friends had.

"Yes, he will agree to bring you his army if you marry his daughter!" fair-haired man said and you saw Ivar's face losing color, as your heart lost its rhythm.

"Why does he want to destroy her life, I wonder?" He asked his friend.

"Hahha you are really funny Ivar, the news about your power and glory traveled far, every earl dreams about alliance with you, and his daughter is real beauty!"

"I'll think about it!"

"What's there to think, you matured, it is time for you to settle down, make a legacy!"

You saw how his jaw clenched and how he violently dropped his cup on the table. And part of you who liked him that irrational and naive part of you followed him outside when he left the feast.

"What do you need little worm? Get back inside and eat, you need energy to heal!" he let his voice loudly on you, but you really couldn't stay inside without him, with all those hungry and violent sets of eyes on you.

"I need air more!" You answered.

"Oh, I see.. Peace is not an option tonight, fine than come with me."

"Well that's what you get when you invite your enemy to celebration!"

"You are the least of my problems now!"

"The fair haired man upset you somehow!" You tempted your fate.

"No... and... remind me why I haven't killed you yet" And he stopped to look at you.

But your eyes escaped the trap of his, knowing the danger of depths inside. "Because Ivar, you like the fact that I'm not afraid of you!" 

"Hmm we should check that again!"

"Oh please do so..." You said standing in front of him, squatting so you can show him fearlessness from shortest distance.

"You are one insane little worm! Live as you wish I don't really care about your fate!" he raised his brow at you, slightly amused, partially annoyed. And he continued to torture his hands moving in surprisingly fast pace, making it even harder to follow him with intense pain in your leg, but your stubbornness wanted to see where he was heading to.

Upon arrival you recognized the place...the blacksmith hut. Outside was cold, and your body was shivering from many different reasons, but when you entered the warm hut, and let you body relax on soft fur next to a fire place, for a brief you were in heaven. Somehow observing him around deadly metal pieces you could see he is too...

He was again in his own world immune to your presence, and you noticed that he was searching for something, your curiosity also started to search object of his quest.

Dark, almost black metal warmed your heart more than the fire next to you, when you saw how it fitted perfectly in his deadly hand. Admiration in his eyes was priceless site, and he shifted it from your proudest design to your eyes.

"Hmm... I still wonder what this thing does!" his finger was trailing over the trigger and his aim was between your eyes...

You were drawn to come closer, ignoring his piercing gaze, which was drilling trough you skull. "Then, let me show you!" your courage was radiating from your voice, and he allowed you with his surprised nodding to take the crossbow from his hand.

You scanned surrounding in a flash, looking for ideal target, taking mental precautions to protect your conscience from another incident. When you fixed shield in red and black color you aimed praying to God, for best shot.

Although you were looking at target you could feel his eyes on you, which increased your adrenaline flow. Long inhale, prayer again and rain of bolts flying in short spans of time, indeed surprised commander, after you emptied whole magazine from your crossbow, you felt his grip around your calf, looking down you saw enhanced glimmer in his ocean like sources of power.

"Ha?" he let the sign of surprise loudly.

"Mhhm it's ok, for now, but it is still just a prototype, I intend to achieve shorter time frequency between bolts... and eventually use the same mechanism but for larger model, which will be operated by two men... I don't know it is still idea..." You mumbled immensely happy you could talk about it out loud, already getting the idea in your head how can you improve your design.

And he literally got you back on the solid ground, kicking you out of your balance with his skillful viper like move.

"Are you trying to tell me little worm... that this weapon here is product of your mind?" He asked hovering over you, taking a crossbow again in his possession, and you just nodded amused, and deep inside satisfied, because you had no idea how would it be when you finally get to show the real you.

"It is a crossbow...but archer doesn't need to insert the arrow every time before the hit?"

"Repetitive crossbow, as I like to call it... it has its own storage, filled with arrows so the archer can fire 15 bolts in 10 seconds!" you answered with wide smile, and he smiled back, moving away from you.

"And your clumsy mind got an idea for this divine mechanism?" He was still confused, observing you now from the distance, filling the weapon with his arrows and you were satisfied with speed he managed to figure out how to do so.

"That is my hobby!" You blushed from his piercing gaze and something appealing you found inside. But next moment his aim was above your head, and his hot-blooded nature took the shot... awaking the fear in you. He let the arrows rain above you, enhancing the sound of his loud laughter with every new hit, and you hated him again, with your conflicting thoughts taking you again away from present moment.

"Well who would have thought that little Christian maidens can have such interesting hobby!" when he finished he target practice he approached you again crawling around you, looking at you like you were some kind of miracle, and after the full circle and detailed scan he faced you again, returning the weapon in your hand. "Teach me how to make this thing and I promise you no harm will come your way!" he said with serious expression and you started to wonder from his gaze everywhere around small hut, thinking how you would wish that circumstances are different...

"I need more Boneless" He came closer as his veins became more visible, and movements of his nostrils became dominant on his face, but you continued..."If you want to learn my ways... I will need to learn yours to... teach me how to be a Viking, and I will introduce you with my hobby!"

He nodded to your proposal curling his lips, glancing at you with some new energy...and underneath you saw impatience peeking.

 

 

After that evening everything somehow changed, but for real. He took your proposal serious... showing no mercy, making you exceed every limit ordering you to fight and train as long as you stay conscious. But he was never around to see how much you excelled in your fighting skills, and having it that way, also it was easier for you to keep your focus.

Did you missed your world... it was hard to say...to grab some time in between beatings and just think... neatly arrange your mess of feelings, so instinct for survival was dominating and you enjoyed in discovering of your full potential. You knew you were strong...but strong enough to beat famous shield maidens in fight, you were surprising yourself with every new day.

You were losing your breath again, taking punches with a grin when you heard his voice somewhere from behind.

"Enough for today!" you turned your head slowly to the sight of glorious heathen commander in his mighty chariot. His intense gaze always had the power to make you self-conscious about your looks, which were not so representative, since you started living the Viking way. You almost forget how your face looks like without bruises and swelling.

Your sparing partners obeyed his command, leaving you regain your breath, but it was surprisingly harder to breathe with his eyes all over your body. You inhaled deeply and you met his gaze while straitening your posture and your dirty clothes.

He was grinning at you, silently summoning you to come closer with his hand.

"Ivar!" You greeted him, while caressing his horse, avoiding to clash his gaze again in hope that your heart beats will regain steady pace as you do so.

"I'm impressed! Who have thought that you can be so tough little worm!" Unlike your heart, you stayed silent, to his banter. "Climb on!" he ordered and you obeyed, anxious to feel the speed force. When you stepped on the chariot, he turned his head your way. "Sit down if you don't want to break your neck!" he said, and you straddled the bench behind him, still unsure where to rest your hands.

Having him so close to you, you felt the heat pumping inside your veins, you had to turn your thoughts the other way fast so you started to interrogate the design of vehicle, searching for weak spots, and ways to improve it, realizing how important it was for him, in order keep his head on shoulders during the battle.

"I suggest you to hold on tightest you can! Even double, knowing how clumsy you are!" he flushed his cocky grin at you once more, touching you with his warm breath, returning you back to present moment, and you wrapped your hands tight over his waist, feeling the iron muscles flexing underneath you palms, as he snapped the rains.

Kinetic force propelled you forward, causing your hands to grip harder, a power of speed force at it's best draw a wide smile all over your blushed face, you were enjoying the ride with closed eyes, allowing the other senses dominate over the unique experience.

You were so relaxed after long and exhausting training that your head fall on his back, his smell of metal and mint herbs was soothing your soul. And part of you didn't want for this ride to end...ever.

But after a while in heaven, he stopped, and you opened your eyes again, little anxious when you noticed that he brought away from the settlement, was he going to hurt you... for that you couldn't care less. But was he going to kiss you and forever steals your soul... that was the source of your fear.

"Come on!" He was sobering you with his raised eyebrows and sly smile, and you realized that maybe now it is the time to get up from your new favorite means of transportation.

You jumped down, on greenest grass looking around lovely landscape. Again you close your eyes, to absorb smell of blooming flowers and fell sharp breeze caress your face and unexpected light touch of his leather gauntlet across your calf.

"What's wrong with you? Did they hurt you that bad?" His question made you open your eyes in confusion.

"No I'm fine!" you answered with some undetermined dose of defensives, although yes you were in pain, but whining about it wasn't a Vikings way. "Why do you think something is wrong? Your curiosity again let your tongue lose.

"Your eyes were shut during the ride and now again... and the swelling on your left eye... looks nasty!" he continued to deteriorate your already dropped confidence, but you smiled at the fact that he observed you during your ride. "Maybe you were afraid little worm, hm? That's why you were avoiding to look the way!!" He interrupted your attempt to tell him how you enjoyed, with his little insult on your courage.

"Of that thing? Please it isn't even fast... like at all!" Your vanity responded, and he narrowed his eyes at you, already ready to pull you to his eye level. "I bet I can make it faster!" You continued, moving away from him, picking up a flower and enjoying it's fragrance.

"Really?" he crawled next to you, picking up another flower and offering it to you, while his hopeful eyes were expecting confirmation. You picked up lovely plant from his hand slightly amused with sight of ruthless warlord with water lily in his hand.

"Yes and not only faster..." you teased, and continued to collect nature accessorizes, as he was following you, with evident desire to know more.

"What else? Tell me?"

"Mhm, I have few ideas for improvement of your chariot...but I don't know yet what will work... I will need some time to work everything out!" you sat on the grass next to him, offering him now your colorful bucket, and he raised his brows. Your hand was insisting for him to take the flowers.

"I don't like the flowers!" he turned his head the other way, and you continued to trail over his nose with your bucket.

"Me neither!" You grinned throwing the flowers on the ground, and he grinned back at you.

"But I have something you will like, follow me!" He ordered, awakening your curiosity and excitement. Did he bring you here to surprise you?

"You can close your eyes, now as you already enjoy doing so" He ordered again. "Focus on the sound of my movement and follow me." You did as he asked, and when he stopped you stopped to. He took your hand in his, gently tugging you to lower you body on the grass.

"You can open your eyes now!" He removed the strains from your hair and whispered you his next command. Obeying it you found yourself in shock, you couldn't move or speak... while you were admiring product of your imagination in its three-dimensional form.

You touched the wood carved according to your drawing, as you were touching the holy sacrament. Tears from joy the ones you haven't experience in a while overflowed your face, and he fired the first hit, while your eyes followed unreal long trajectory of long bolt.

"Did I make it right?" He asked with excitement and little hint of need for your approval. And you couldn't speak when you returned your gaze back at him.

"Come I want to see you try!" something in your look, made him look away and change the suffocating emotional atmosphere. You wanted to try, you craved it, but you craved to hug him even more, and he was faster giving you longest arrow you saw in reality, challenging you to take a better shot with his mischievous smirk.

You inhaled deeply your happiness so it couldn't distract you when you launch your missile. You could feel his eyes on you while you were aiming at target across the lake under you. Your confidence took the shot, but your hit was disaster, you barely even managed to fire out projectile, and your happiness was replaced with embarrassment. 

You avoided looking at him imagining how he is laughing at your miserable shot, but he touched your hand, and approached his compassionate expression close to your red face. "Try again, just this time apply more pressure here," he guided your hand on the trigger, adjusting your finger under his to right spot, and he continued to manipulate your posture, while you were burning inside, wishing you could just run away.

"I'm not quite an archer Ivar..." you said while his head was touching yours in order to help you find right aim.

"Once I wasn't either!" He answered serious continuing to adjust your hand. "Try it now!" he winked at you, and you did, praying to God not to embarrass yourself this time.

His excitement escaped his lips, while you were still confused with your neatly shot. "You are amazing y/n!"

"It is better this time I guess?" You insecurity answered.

"Oh you are...this killing machine you made! Your brilliant mind... who cares if you are a lousy shooter!" He hit your biceps with back of his hand, grinning at you. "I'm going raiding tomorrow, will you fight my side y/n?" he asked and who could say no to that gorgeous face of his.


	5. Chapter 5

Travel by foot was exhausting indeed. You wondered how after everything, they still have strength to fight like they do. Only privileged Viking to ride around in long column was their leader, and watching him radiate with his authority and power, you were craving to sit on his chariot again and wrap your arms around his iron muscles.

But he was alone in front of his army, and today he wasn't paying attention to you, his brilliant mind was focused elsewhere. You wondered does he ever feel fear. What if someone shot his horse, or kicks him off his chariot, will be able to survive direct combat without the use of his legs. That thought terrified you probably more than it should.

He was a Viking after all, their way was to welcome death in battle with smile and courage, and yet thinking about his, stopped your heart in place few times, before you were able to continue again.

When you heard a church bells you remembered your husband. His morning rituals and his hours spent on the floor in front of cross in prayers with only one goal, to kill Ivar the Boneless.

And more reminders followed the thoughts soon after. Arrows rained upon you, shooting the men few feet of you dead.

"Shield wall! We are ambushed!" Ivar shouted his order, and in a shortest time frame his eyes touched yours, wide opened and still in shock.

Other Vikings protected you with their shields, but you wasn't thinking straight worried about Ivar, so you were trying to look trough the connected shields, and locate him and his chariot.

You sighted in relief, than held your breath again, when you saw him riding straight to the shooters, holding a shield in one hand, rains with other.

You started praying for arrows to spare his horse, and adrenaline in you kept pumping the hot blood trough your muscles.

Close to the few attackers that were left standing at the ending of the forest, he hurled his shield like a disk, separating the head from the body of one archer, leaving others in shock.

Seeing him without a shield and at their aim, you jumped up running their way, with crossbow ready to shoot.

He also wasn't losing his time, he ducked his head and inch from a flying arrow, and instead to watch ahead you were fixated on him, and his facial expression seeing a fire and happiness there in the moments of greatest danger, only pumped more courage in you too.

You made your first successful hit, maybe saving him from the next arrow, but in that time, he also pulled the crossbow which you designed for him, taking out two of them one in the eye and other in the neck. Rest of them started running for their lives and he bursted in loud laughter, as he steered his ride in the forest.

Your legs followed, as well rest of Viking horde, but enemy was coming from behind too. You heard screaming, falling bodies and deadly shots from behind.

"Ivar!" someone shouted, making him stop and turn around his chariot. He was blowing steam from his nostrils.

"Damned Christians! Stand your ground and rip their lungs!" his charisma was at its peak in a blink of a second, and all of them faced enemy troupes. Only you were again frozen looking at him, as he was scanning the area with deep concentration, plotting wining move.

You weren't fighting with rest of Vikings, you hide behind the tree, not because you were afraid, more because you needed to be close to him, in case he needs your help. But he spoted you there in all this chaos.

"I knew you are not ready for this!" He stated serious, steering his chariot your way.

"I'm not afraid." You jumped in your defense, almost getting sliced from the hand of man behind, and he pulled your hand, throwing you out of balance but still saving you.

"Climb on!" Ice was tattooed in his eyes, as you managed to compose yourself, and somehow settle on the floor of chariot, holding on to bench with one hand, as he snapped his rains.

"Damn Bishop!" He cursed, looking at the road filled with trees. You swallowed largest bump of air, once again reminded that your husband was behind this attack.

"Where are we going Ivar?" you asked as you were furthering away from the bloody battle and his army, he wasn't the type who will run away for sure, but he was reckless beyond any measure.

"To collect heads of some fools who thought can attack me." He fastened the pace of horse, watching at the road, than at his weapons hooked on inside wall of the chariot. Like he was checking is there enough axes for number of people he planed to kill.

"Alone?" Your rationality kicked in again, evidently angering him, as he shot you with his eyes.

"Feel free to leave. I don't need your scared ass there where I'm heading to!" but you weren't planning on leaving him, it was stronger than you, that desire to be close to him no matter what. One part was because you were feeling so safe next to him, other the strong attraction which was like nothing else you experienced so far.

"I'm not leaving you." you confused him with your statement, and your bold move to pull your body up on the bench behind him, holding for his strong core while you were doing so, knowing if you fall in that speed it will be the end of you.

His palm brushed your hands folded around his waist, and it was emotional moment rare for him, you knew it, buy the way his breathing became uneven.

"In that case prepare for the worst my little worm because this time I don't have back up plan." He forced a smile when you arrived in front of gates of your husbands town. 

"Lucky for you that I do." You said rather quiet in contrary to the rhythm of your heart that needed out. You got his attention, before they noticed your arrival. "How so?"

"Let them catch you Ivar and trust me this time" he spread his eyes wide open, turning his head your way as much as he could from given position.

"Exuse me? Are you lost your mind?"

"We don't have much time but trust me this, do as I say and don't worry!" you tried to sound calm, confident, but army of your crazy husband was about to open the gates, and take the life of a man you just couldn't let go to death. Surprisingly he nodded, waiting for your words, your promise about the hope.

"Wife of Bishop is missing. When they catch you tell them you have her captured, and that you will trade her for your freedom," your voice was trembling, wondering inside how long will it take him, to realize that that crazy women was nobody else but yourself.

"I'll rip out their filthy organs out." He frowned, still consumed with his own rage. You sighted and touched his hand tightly gripping around, to transfer to his skin all strong emotions pumping out inside you, tearing your reason apart.

"But to do so, stay alive first." You whispered, inhaling the fragrance of his majestic hair, letting go of his hand, and preparing to run away from his chariot. His gaze was asking for explanation for your action, because maybe it was like you are about to run away like a coward.

"Tell them about the Bishop's wife, I will find the way to come back for you" It was hard from you to separate from him, to even think about possible outcome of your decision. But you still knew your name and birth had weight for your husband, although he cared more about village cattle than for you you were a daughter of a king and his future was bond to your safety. Other problem was Ivar recklessness, well that was something you could only pray to remain under control.

You ducked under the stone, on the safe distance to see what they will do to him, your emotions kept you frozen and terrified to the sight, but part of you was smirking to his confidence and flying axes from his hand which were landing in vital organs of your husband's men. And none of them was brave enough to go after head of great Ivar the boneless the heathen devil. You were amused with a sight of frighten men which pride was overblown and they they were pissing their pants in front of Ivar, you couldn't help but chuckle.

"Come out Bishop, I know you are here" Ivar was almost yelling, and your anxiety rose to a totally new level. You knew that your husband no matter how terrible person was, wasn't a coward, and you could only imagine the joy overwhelming him when he heard that no one but, Ivar personally came to knock on his door.

Soon after his hideous laughter filled your ears, even from the distance chills crept up your body and your nostrils were fuming steam.

"It was so easy that I'm somehow disappointed." You heard him saying, riding out from gates in Ivar's way. He could take the shoot, both of them actually could, but to your surprise their gazes clashed and if you didn't know better you would say that they were admiring each other.

"I'm just full of surprises." Ivar answered with his devilish smirk, causing you to melt inside a little.

"I got the impression, pity you won't live long enough to surprise me again" your husband pulled out his sword, still on his horse preparing to smash his steel with Vikings one. Ivar was laughing hesitation to pull out his was evident on his face and you thought, was that because he trusted you enough that you will come back for him.

"Go ahead priest, if you kill me now, my men will kill your wife" his words confirmed everything, and your husband stayed frozen on sight almost falling from his horse when he heard the news. You were amused, and from what you could see Ivar was to. He crossed his arms over his chests calculating the situation in his brilliant mind. Both of you knew even if he beats your husband in combat, he would be eventually caught and killed by one of large Christian army standing behind Heamund.

"What the hell you know about my wife?"

"Enough to make her scream my name and beg me not to stop." He was again teasing with his cocky smile, and your husband spread his eyes wide open, some of his solders even chuckled behind his back, probably because of rumors about your marriage nights.

"My life for hers, hm? It's a win-win. Next time when we meet, you have my word we will fight till the last man standing, or sitting in my case." He chuckled at the end, and you did to.

Your cold, calculated husband wrapped up in his fancy shiny armor nodded with gloomy expression, swallowing something you couldn't quite capture from the distance. Guided by the gesture of his wide spread arms his men surrounded Ivar, and he was looking at the sky peace written all over his godlike features. Why was he calm was bothering curious part of you. How was that even possible, he just couldn't stop surprising you from the moment you heard that name for the first time, only guessing that it will be the death of you, but now looking at him you knew that was the fact.

 

You were plotting your way into the town, without being noticed, wondering why there is no trace still of Ivar's army on sight, secretly hoping that they will come and help you get him out and escape them yourself to. Maybe they just didn't had idea where to look, you couldn't wait any longer, you decided to climb the gates with knife like gadgets you managed to take when rushing from Ivar's chariot.

Your body was stronger than ever after time spent living the Viking way but nerveless, it was still hardest thing you ever done, only thing that pushed you over your limits was desire to be close to him again, away from this madness and bed memories, away from your past, which looking from this perspective seemed like it was never yours.

When your feat reached ground inside the town, you rushed to your secret workshop, wondering is everything still there. You exhaled heavy air when you saw that nothing changed. Only the thick layer of dust over everything inside was indicator of your absence. Making a mind plan of your escape you gathered everything that you thought it will be of use, your special venom too, chuckling cause it wasn't really poisonous, it was only intended to put victim of it in long sleep. Ideal thing to overcome guards of Ivar's cell you confirmed later when you managed to find him.

"Ivar" You whispered little afraid about the possible things that could happen to him, during captivity. Watching trough the bars, you saw him laying on the floor with his face down, looking unconscious. Tearing inside your core messed up your breathing and your sanity. "Ivar." You said this time significantly louder.

"I'm impressed little worm" He said trough grunting pushing himself of the ground, adjusting his body to face you.

"Did they hurt you?" Your concern shot a question, and your eyes were changing their focus from the lock to his eyes and back. You never needed so much time to break the lock before.

"Please, they couldn't do so even if they tried" He stated with clenched teeth as he was containing the pain inside, looking him closer when you entered the cell, you noticed broken skin on his face, traces of blood on his rumpled clothes. He grabbed your wrist when you leaned over him. "You came back?" his eyes were soft, almost glassy and his voice was low, he never looked you like this before, and strong emotions surfaced inside you too, you had to look away if you wanted to survive.

"You and I Boneless, we have some unfinished business back in your settlement." You said wrapping your arms under his, so you could support his weight and help him up. He squeezed your sholder blades hurting you a little but you managed to keep the pain hidden, wanting to help him get out fast before they find you. He was standing with your help but then, besides you realized how taller than you he was, you realized also how week his legs were.

"Nice try little worm, but this isn't going to work" he whispered in your hair, as your strength was giving in under weight of his body. "Don't worry we got this" He winked as both of you finished on the floor. "Listen, you must go and get my horse and my chariot" He cupped your face, probably noticing raising feeling of panic inside of you. His gaze was steady, calm sobering you, reassuring you that you will escape. Now was even worse in case they caught you, he wouldn't have anything to bargain for. You brushed your face over his hand, squeezing his wrist and nodding. "Good girl."

"What about you Ivar?" You asked, and he left you wondering, already hauling himself swiftly out of the cell, you rushed to follow, seeing him takes the axe from one of the guards you left unconscious next moment burying that same axe deep in his chests, which disturbed you even more, but for him you could see it on his face, feeling was divine.

"You didn't have to do that" you lashed at him with narrow eyes, and he was grinning at you.

"Sure I had, the fool was talking some bad things about bishop's wife" he said with a wink, and your heart stopped. Was he insinuating that he already knew who you were? Sound of more than one pair of footsteps approaching you changed the subject in your mind. He showed you with his head that it is time for you to go and finish your task, and you raced out, praying again that you see him again, knowing that that was only thing important to you.

Your husband was the king of predictability so it was easy to find Ivar's horse and chariot, steering the thing was totally different story, you nearly hit few houses on the way. Adrenaline was somehow helping you not to think that Ivar is alone fighting who knows how many guards on his way out of underground cells.

But when you arrived he was waiting for you covered in their blood, better word soaking wet, just finishing two of them of, one with flying dagger in the neck, next one that was fighting with hands, tearing apart his neck artery, pushing him away of his body with force when he saw you coming.

He was so happy and excited looking at you like he needed to share his joy, and you rolled your eyes.

"You could at least tell me how to drive this thing" peaces of your anger spoke trough you as he was climbing from behind. Three guards are running after you, and he slided your hand over your tight sending shivers all over your existence as he reached for crossbow, next moment finishing them off in no time.

"Oh I don't worry for you little worm, you are fast learner." You looked away from the road ahead glancing at his handsome mischievous expression and again you almost hit a tree, he frowned at you, and grabbed your waist with one hand, bench with other hoisting himself up behind you, slowly but skillfully taking over the rains from your trembling hands in his steady and secure. 

The moment you let go he shocked your body down, to protect you from the dagger that flow dangerously close to your head. "They are still behind us, turn around, take the crossbow and try to save our arses little worm" he was speaking trough your hair, caressing you and warming with his sweet breath. 

Only way to do so is to sit in his lap, and turn your body facing him, and enemies behind too. You did so clumsy touching him everywhere probably longer than it was really necessary just to summon the calmness and channel a little from his immense power and strength he had in abundance. What a man, a legend your thoughts were still praising him while you were rushing in speed you didn't ever know that is possible. 

He parked crossbow in you hand, while your other was wrapped around his broad shoulder, and he was holding you in place with his hand wrapped around your waist. First time you closed your eyes and took your shot, but Ivar was a devil indeed. "now do the same, but this time with your eyes opened" his lips brushed over your cheek to finish on the delicate skin next to your ear. 

Focus was impossible mission, but disobeying him was too. "Now" He aggressively got closer to your earlobe, igniting your wining shot, it was like the blessing you were unstoppable force soon after and he bursted in loud laughter, you could feel his entire body moving in rhythm of catchy happiness.

"Why are you laughing?" you asked after a while.

"Because I never thought that the wife of Christian priest could be such a badass."


	6. Chapter 6

How could he possibly figure that out... but on the other hand how could he not, man was a genius on top off all, and confusion in you was enhanced with the sound of his laughter.

When you were safely out of their reach, galloping far from the gates of your husband's town, his hand hugged yours entangled over his waist while with other he was controlling the rains slowly reducing the speed of the wheels beneath you and increasing the one of your blood pumping organ, with his gentle touch and everything it meant.

"Nothing to say in your defense now little worm?"

"Should I be defensive?" when you asked the first thing that crossed your mind, he stopped the horse, force of the brake making your body even closer to his. He placed his palms on both sides of your face; determining your position directly on the aim of his darkened gaze.

"Know this (y/n) since this moment till forever; you should never be afraid in my company." His honesty was dancing across the low tone of his voice, resonance of it making you tremble, meaning of it forming a small drops of feelings under your eyelids.

Noticing the storm of feelings rising in you he decided that silence was everything you needed, well not only the silence but also his hug that felt like all the comfort, all the power and beauty of this world was wrapped around your fragile existence.

"I never was Boneless" You said while touching his cheek with your lips feeling the taste of copper in your mouth. Your little sign of affection ignited the motion again and in no time you were again chasing defying the wind.

After your vision field was filled with heathens army approaching, you was relieved and certain that the worst was over. Little bit of anxiety was still lingering in your body for the conversation that needed to happen, but as soon as his men saw him, they took him away to discus urgent matters and he only had enough time to give you one soft comforting gaze and smile different from those he was sharing with you before your little adventure.

 

Traveling back to settlement you had plenty time on your hands to bother your mind with never ending thoughts, he was too busy and you shared only few glances on the way which only contributed for your anxiety to grow in size.

Close to settlement one of his men came for you while you were walking in long column of Vikings and took you on his horse straight to Ivar.

"You look like crap" he greeted you with brutal and unflattering honesty; you frowned slightly and accepted his hand to climb onto the chariot. Sitting behind him you let your head fall again on his back, remembering how it was good to have him so close. Relaxed finally you took a little nap to the rest of the road. Sound of welcoming the commander on the entrance in the settlement was loud enough to wake you up.

In the welcoming party you scanned the faces and one of them was unfamiliar to you. So stunning you thought, so flawless feminine face of a young women standing next to king Harald with her emerald eyes aiming in chariot's way.

You felt as his body tensed under your touch, sound of his jaw clenching louder than usual and your curiosity for the reaction was alerted.

"What's wrong?"

"Looks we have uninvited guests little worm, go straight into the kitchen than take a bath and relax" He gave you order which draw a smile on your face, he must have noticed that you weren't eating during the travel being sick of mere thought of half raw unseasoned food.

"Who are the guests?"

"Most likely my bride to be" he said without a hint of emotions, and you let go off his waist jumping down from the chariot like it was on fire, because your internal organs were.

Harald with the girl next to him was walking in Ivar's way with wide grin across his tattooed face, your nostrils flared and before you could sense the intoxicating tone of her perfume you walked away, just as he said straight into the kitchen.

 

Cursing your stupidity for the rest of the day you were furious at yourself again. How could you let him crawl under your heart and take a larger part of it all to himself, how when he wasn't yours he couldn't be, and yet he turned you into traitor of your kind with only his existence.

Including logic you concluded that was only a matter of time before your husband notice that you were the one who helped his enemy escape, what would your family say when they hear that you sold your sinner soul to no one but the devil himself, and for what to watch him love some perfect princess from his world.

Letting your limbs float on the surface of steaming water in your grandfather's pool, you heard foot steps approaching somewhere over your head, your eyes were shut and you were planning to leave them that way till his voice summoned you back in dark reality.

"Y/n, Ivar is asking for you." You sinked your head in, when you heard his name, getting the urge to let your scream ripple the water. "Everybody is already celebrating in your honor."

"My honor?" You dived out looking at Ubbe and his genuine smile, hue of redness on his cheeks when he saw you undressed.

"You are the reason my brother is alive, he dedicated this feast to you and your bravery." You couldn't trust your ears when you heard his words, getting out of the water you knew no shame, but he know respect not moving his gaze from your face.

At first you didn't wanted to attend the feast, but insane turn of events where Ivar glorified your only possible solution to his hostage situation, melted a layer of your heart, and you changed your decision.

"Tell him I will come, just not like this." You winked at his handsome brother, noticing how the good looks were a common trait in Lothbrok family, and you headed straight in your room, to dress up a little and summon your calmness for the evening ahead.

 

You were listening the stories from fellow Vikings sitting next to you, about the trance state the berserker's rage, all sets of bright eyes looking at you with significant change in their expression then before. You thought maybe that was something about the way you groomed yourself, braided your hair, accented your finally healed eyelids with black kohl, and you continued to listen the story, trying to ignore the painful fact that Ivar was sitting next to his beautiful future wife.

You didn't wanted even to look at them; instead you were looking at Ubbe who was filling your cup, in shortest time intervals.

"Skal" you heard his voice, that charisma from within sent a shivers through your body and everybody raised their glasses except you. Your eyes found their way to dive into his and he was looking at you longer than all of his army emptied their horns, effect of ale in your bloodstream shot making your head spin.

"Come sit with us Y/n" He gave command you didn't wanted to execute at the moment, and you froze in place seeing how she was caressing his cheek making him look at her, begging for his attention. Her pale skin was few tones warmer than today, she was smiling and happiness for the choice about her future husband was evident, on the other hand, objective as you could be when it comes to him, his wasn't.

Staring at him you could see how uncomfortable he was, trying to push the princess away, to avoid her suffocating attention somehow. "

You are my hero this time" He said begging you to come with humility in voice like you never witnessed before, and the magnet inside you driving you always to Ivar did it again. As you were walking to his table, he couldn't move his gaze from you, and you had to do it because otherwise you would run to kiss him in front of everybody.

"I barely recognized you in that silly dress" He chuckled scanning you from bottom to top. "Nah, I like you more in pants" he stated his conclusion, and his girl scanned you too, squeezing Ivar's hand tugging him closer to her. He jerked her hand narrowing his eyes at her, and he gave sign to the man sitting to his right to move and make space for you.

You sat next to him, looking at the food to distract you. "I heard a lot about you Y/n, is it true that you can make new types of weapons powerful enough to destroy entire army." Princess asked, her voice flat.

"Y/n could destroy entire world with her brilliant mind if she wants to." Ivar answered her question, not moving his gaze from you. First thing your brain did was searching for hint of sarcasm in the way he said it, but had no success, he said it full of pride, like when he was speaking about his personal victories.

And you could destroy me, you thought looking at your reflection in his eyes.

"Well she could never destroy the army of my father" Princess was annoyed displaying her arrogance without holding back, and you felt antagonism in her voice, while Ivar griped her tiny wrist making her whole body arch in pain.

"Your father has great army princes, biggest in the North, but I wouldn't be so confident in your place, y/n is powerful beyond any measure, even so that I announce her as my personal advisor." He said, winked at you, and you couldn't let your happiness out loud enough, wishing to scream from excitement, wishing to say thank you to your new boss with a kiss, instead you finished another ale in a light speed, looking at Vikings cheering to his decision, to your promotion.

Looking at his perfect profile, chiseled features and majestic hair, this time you enjoyed the most at the sight of his genuine smile which lasted till his future wife opened her pink mouth again. "Let's go to bed" she said yawning, and dead silence was the result of her proposition.

Ivar changed his expression in almost angry one, and he was avoiding looking at her, you imagined the scene of them together in bed, and you felt like falling apart again. "Did you just heard what I said Ivar?" She continued to beg for his attention, slowly realizing how hard assignment that can be, and he poured to you and himself another ale, emptying the horn faster than filling it.

"My servants prepared room for you. They will take you to your chambers." He answered calling the servant girl to come, princess opened her mouth to protest and you curled up your lips slightly amused by her confused expression, noticing that the girl didn't knew for rejection, which wasn't surprising considering her looks, flawless skin, sparkling green eyes, long blonde locks and tempting luscious naturally pink lips, looking her longer, mesmerized with her beauty you couldn't help but wonder how so that Ivar was blind to her beauty.

"Aren't we supposed to..."

"Better learn to keep your pretty mouth shut and be happy that I won't send you to sleep outside." He said serious, with his scary gaze, his anger charisma and you could notice goose bumps on princess skin.

She left following the servant girl, and you started laughing to Ivar who was blowing some serious steam trough his nostrils looking her leaving his eyesight.

"I wonder who invented stupid institution of marriage, hm little worm?" He asked serious in his silly question.

"You don't like her at all?"

"No... I think that I will probably strangle her if she continues to be so annoying..."

"Ivar" You smacked his arm hard.

"I will try not to" He forced a smile to his face.

"You can always refuse to marry her..." Your alcohol soaked tongue let loose your subconscious desire. Your curiosity started to wonder why man who know no boundaries, needed to do something he didn't feel like doing. And his saddens in expression confirmed your hint that it is something important.

"I need her father's army"

"But you already have your own"

"Yes, but for what I'm planning to do... it will take much more than men I have here"

"What are you planning to do?"

"To avenge my mother's death kill the queen take the crown and rule my lands" He said tears evident across his eyes.

 

 

Next morning nobody woke you up like usually to tell you that Ivar wait's for you for the breakfast. Your head was aching from over flooding your bloodstream with ale, your heart from the memory of previous night. When you rushed outside princess Agot was settling her hourglass figure on chariot behind Ivar, which facial expression was out of your sight bothering you slightly.

Ubbe climbed his horse in one swift move dressed in crimson armor perfectly suiting his happy mood.

"Y/n you overslept morning, come join us we are heading to the woods to hunt," He said with genuine smile, and you thought about breakfast and how sick it would made you considering the amount of alcohol glued to the walls of your stomach. "I will wait for you" He continued while Ivar was already in motion totally ignoring your presence.

Spark of anger rose in you and you nodded to his suggestion, he was patient till you got to your horse and when you started you both did it in sync grinning to each other for amusing coincidence. You soon got to catch up with Ivar's chariot and your eyes saw again reality which was opposite of your dreams.

I will lose him, sooner or later... and no matter how I wish it could be different her never was mine in the first place... You were thinking riding behind his chariot, observing how her hands were all around his muscular torso, exploring the iron landscape under linen of his dark tunic.

Ubbe who was riding next to you teased you for your facial expressions and steam blowing through your tensed pores, and you caught yourself observing him with new curiosity comparing his bright eyes with those of Ivar, trying to locate that special something inside convincing yourself you could, you shot him with most seductive smile you could pull and he challenged you for a horse race.

Another dose of adrenaline couldn't harm you, so you snapped rains hard chasing after his dark stallion leaving Ivar and his princess in dust cloud behind, thinking if could only be so easy to leave behind heaviness squeezing your chest from the sight of future married couple.

Speed was good for your soul, powerful enough to take you away from heavy thoughts. Ubbe was smiling glancing at you and you every time replied with smile too.

"For Saxon girl you don't lack talent in any field" He praised you, offering you his hand to dismount from horse, and you accepted his act of kindness regardless it wasn't really necessary.

The place you stopped to wait for the others, was already full of hanging targets, weapons of all sorts and you realized by "hunting" they thought sparing and honing their combat skills. Not wasting your time, you chose your weapon, heavy piece of iron turned in deadly blade under the Ivar's hammer.

Ubbe amused with your choice also took his sword, circling around you calculating right angle to start the attack. You blocked his first gentle hit glaring at him with narrowed eyes, for he underestimated you in start, determined to show him he doesn't need to hold back you attacked ferociously giving him hard time to block your mighty sways.

Sound of hands clapping when you threw him out of balance, made you turn around and face proud face you longed to touch, only in what kind of way changing with every new moment.

"You are on fire little worm, sure you are not agent from sent from hell?" He grinned and Agot narrowed her forest green eyes on him, squeezing her thin hands around his massive upper arm.

"Please Ivar, didn't you saw? Ubbe was just letting her win" she let her annoying voice out and you sighted coming closer to Ivar who was beckoning you with his free hand.

While you were walking their way he showed handle of his sword in her hand. "Go ahead you fight her then and don't hold back" He said with stern glare. and to everybody jaw dropping Agottook the sword as it was of feather whirling it around her bony hand.

"Of course I will" she jumped in guard with menace glowing from her eyes, before you could control your surprise she was giving you hard time, and yes she wasn't holding back at all when sharp edge stung in your shoulder deep enough to pierce the muscle in half.

You wanted to look at Ivar, but you needed to keep your focus in order to keep your head in one place too.

"Come on little worm, show you what are you made of!" You heard him roar and vibration from his voice sent jolt of electricity trough your body charging your next hit so perfectly executed that it broke her blade in half.

Throbbing pain in from your bleeding wound and her stare full of hate blurred your calmness and you let your fists squeeze air from her lungs, scream from her throat when you pressed the cold blade to her chin making her look at you.

"Enough" Ivar throw one of his axes peeling the thin layer of skin from your forehead your breathing stopped and you fell back from the shock and fear. Hurt more with his act than the pain itself your eyes let the tears out and you stabbed your face in the mud while the princess ran into his embrace.

"You should keep your animal in cage" You could hear her bitter comment his silence following it, and your tears keep flowing down mixing with blood and dirt.

You could stay down for hours, mad but mostly to yourself for you let your fantasy destroy your life, for nothing more than to lose him to some other girl, lose him even without a kiss, without at least one chance to let your body show him, how powerful was feeling of longing for him inside you.

Warm hand landed on your shoulder, but you had no will to turn around.

"Y/n you are bleeding, come on let me take you to healer" Ubbe said with honest concern and you hesitated wishing only to melt your body in that ground. "Don't make me take you there on force, that I'm not so good at it" he continued, fixing your hair gently tugging back strains which were all over your eyesight.

Touch of his soft finger tips on your scalp soothed you enough to accept his proposition. You turned around slowly to face his concerned expression and he picked you up in his arms, grateful for his kindness you let your head rest on his shoulder, avoiding to look at Ivar's way but still unable to miss moment when Agot let her lips land on his.


	7. Chapter 7

Familiar sound woke you up, but knowing who the night visitor was you refused to open your eyes.

"Wake up little worm" he touched your hand tugging lightly, to your surprise caressing the back of your palm with his calloused thumb. His voice was low, almost a whisper and insecure, so unusual for fearless great Mr. Boneless you thought, refusing to listen his command this time.

Silence was following his words, a very significant and long one; only your heart was killing it slowly, unable to keep the steady rhythm under the power of his touch. Images of his wrath on the battlefield weren't correlating to his butterfly light brushes over your skin.

You felt when he pulled up his body next to yours, his eyes watching over you, their power sobering you, waking you up, destroying the feeling of pain in your wounds igniting the one in your soul.

"Y/n," he touched your bare skin on the back, his hand was war, touch again comforting and yet full of power only he had to influence on existence itself. "I know you are pretending," he whispered in a flash, getting dangerously close to your ear, sending shivers through your body, making you weaker and less willing to open up your swollen eyelids to the sight of his divine beauty.

"I'm sleeping Ivar" Your lips let the sound out, your body felt his shoulder leaning on yours while his hand finished in your hair, skillfully brushing the knots inside.

"How is your wound?" His concern was faster than his guard of steel. Your head still tucked deep in feathers.

"I had worse" you said feeling so much better having him close, and yet sick of memory of reason that was cruel reminder of his destiny, of his marriage arrange which couldn't be broken.

"Let me see" before you get to protest he turned you around applying light force on your good shoulder, your eyes were still squeezed tight together guarding you from his.

His finger landed on your cheek wiping the remains of moist of your pain spilled just few hours ago. He removed the lock of your hair behind your ear.

"Look at me" He commanded with his unapologetic tone. Your body reacted letting the shield from his beauty break.

Lack of illumination wasn't powerful enough to hide oceans in his eyes; you were drowning feeling tears coming on surface again. His finger was getting closer to the wound he caused. Making it clear that he wasn't thinking about your shoulder, that he still was regretting his reckless action, sadness in his eyes was hard sight to bare, while they were glued to small scar, both of you knew that the one inside was many times larger.

"I'm sorry..." he said, as he let his body fall next to yours, looking at the ceiling.

"You did as you must. Every husband's duty is to protect his wife first" You answered coldly, turning your back on him, giving your best to remain cold and calm.

You could sense his anger consuming his body, by the breathing sound following uncomfortable silence.

"I didn't do it for her" he said after long pause. Making you sick inside, making you hate his every word, his hypnotizing presence that nothing in the world couldn't replace, part of you needed to turn around and wrap your arms around him show him how much precious he was to you, but crushed with reality, rational part, kept you frozen in same uncomfortable position.

"It doesn't matter why you did it. Let me sleep"

"Are you mad at me little worm?" he asked in low tone, obviously frighten to hear the answer.

"It doesn't matter!" You said one more time.

"You are" he was pushing your nerves your tears. instead of leaving you suffer alone he was way too stubborn, one touch more spilled the glass you snapped. Facing him you were ready to burn that sea in his eyes.

"I'm mad Boneless! I'm angry and in pain I can't bare without spilling bloody tears. I'm crazy and I'm weak. There, I said it now go and let me be in my madness" You raised your voice your body over him, and he followed, so both of you were sitting.

"I would never hurt you. I wouldn't throw that bloody axe if there was a slightest chance of missing."

"You really don't understand, do you?" You said letting your tears rule your face while you can see his forming. He shocked his head confused.

"I'm mad but at myself" you were weeping, rolling the mountain from your heavy chest, landing your head on his, while his hand found its role holding your head steady over his raging heart.

"God damned you are Boneless!" you were hitting him all over his iron forged chests ignoring the throbbing in you shoulder you let all out. He was still in your storm, confused but stable for both of you, and silent in your thunder. "I should never look for you. It would be better that your brother killed me there on the spot." Hearing your confession he caught your wrists steady but gentle, making you look at him.

"You were looking for me?" he asked again in low voice, while your head done it's confession gesture. "Why?" he asked and you crushed your head again deep in his chests.

"Because I was fool, that's why."

"Did your husband send you?" He increased power of grip on your wrist holding them close to his skin.

"No. but surly it would be better cause than mine"

"Why then, hm? You wanted revenge?"

"For a genius you can be stupid sometime. I wanted to meet the men who captivated my imagination and my reason." You said feeling his hands releasing yours, his jaw dropped as well as his confidence, his shield of power.

"Hm? You wanted to meet the most feared enemy of your people?"

"I wanted to meet the legend, the man who couldn't be defeated, somebody who proved even the gods wrong beating all the odds, rising above every other man. Man, who cannot be stopped, outsmarted or killed, man who was underestimated many time, by fools and cowards and proved them all wrong, making them all fear and respect him"

"Hm? I'll call someone to take you to the healer, must of hit you pretty hard" He said checking your temperature while you spilled out your heart in front of him. Your hand caught his with all your might.

"I'm not sick, you fool. Forget it." You jumped from the bed needing fresh air, speed and to run away as further you could.

"Wait y/n" he grabbed your leg pulling you back, you lost your balance landing on soft bed and he like a beast hovered over your body in no time.

"You really wanted to meet me?" his eyes were glassy, soft disarmed you never saw him so disarmed so emotional and frightened of your answer. Weak under his feeling you just nodded again.

You closed your eyes, feeling only when his touch wiped away your tears, his breath getting closer to your skin.

"And?" indeed of kiss you got one more question from him.

"It turned out you are not as smart as I expected you to be." you said smacking his arm hard, he was even more confused.

"Lucky for us that you are brilliant for both of us little worm" he said serious and still not understanding your point. But your desire was inpatient. While he was drowning in your eyes you took him by surprise pulling him to land right on your lips with his and breathe the life in you again.

 

Was the sweet touch of his lips just another dream, that your mind projected on reality, so intense that blurred borders of sanity. You woke up alone, still in pain and you ignored all throbbing inside your body jumping up, hurrying to get some cold air, some sobering wind to give you salvation.

There he was again, sitting on the tree stump outside, practicing archery focused on his aim to that extent that he failed to notice your arrival. You were just observing him some time, obeying your hungry eyes, never satiated with his beauty.

His eye was sharp, breath steady, every arrow found its place deep inside the target, and you saw how one of them the invisible one pierced your heart long ago. What was that about him so tempting, so captivating you wondered, and realizing that was maybe better to ask yourself what wasn't.

"You know, you are not very quiet when you walk little worm?" he asked when he left without all of his arrows, aiming with his last one in the bird that was flying above. Bird fall down, before you even heard the question right, and your legs went on their own, taking you right in front of him.

"You should rest, go back to bed" he stated leaning forward trailing your cheek with his fingertips, leather of his bracers rough on your tender skin.

"I miss action, you turned me into a monster Boneless" You teased taking the crossbow from him jumping around collecting arrows and calmness in order to stop yourself for kissing him there.

"I'm glad if I did it. You are such precious potential for destruction. Would hate to imagine you wasting your brilliant mind on some Christian marriage." Yes he reminded you again, unintentionally for sure but some chills shocked your body from up inside on the memory that story wasn't over yet.

You let that arrow free landing it next to bunch of his hits, than you walked back to him again.

"I got craziest idea right now." You awoken his curiosity, and before you turned around to leave him again he grabbed both of your wrists slamming your body into his iron chests, his breath trailing from your collarbone to your ear slowly savoring your scent, driving you wild and unable to resist. "Tell me?"

"No this will be surprise for your wedding" you said still glued to his body, your knees week. He let go off your hands on that word "wedding" getting all serious and cold again, breathing heavy trough nose.

"It's ok with me, as long is only political marriage" you teased remembering how Ubbe explained you why he needed her father's army so bad.

"Stupid political marriage" he frowned, his hand this time going over your waist pulling you closer, slowly than keeping you there, with his lips on your hair, sitting high like that he was taller than you.

"At least admit she is pretty" you pouted, watching him getting all angry again.

"I couldn't care less for her looks" he pulled you into the long kiss, telling you more than she could ever could with his words. You gave in to that touch of souls and bodies longing for each other.

"Ivar" some of his men come running, shouting his name, but his words still not breaking the kiss two of you shared. "We are under attack!" he stated even louder, his voice bordering with scream, and you were the one two separate lips from his, fear igniting alarm in your body.

"What are you talking about fool, don't you see I was in the middle of something"

"I apologize but they are already at the gates, its matter of seconds when will they breach our defenses. King Aetelwulf brought a great army"

King Aetelwulf, echoed in your head, making you pale and unable to breathe in deep enough.

"Ohoh, that fool just have no idea what he gotten himself into" Ivar said already climbing on his man back, so he could take him fast to his chariot, plotting defense in his mind, and you were just standing there like you were made of stone.

"Come on y/n, didn't you just said you miss little action?" he winked turning his head back at you, and you let your step fast but feeling even stronger anxiety.

His soldiers were already lined up ready for the breach, his archers up over the gates killing members of your father's army, when he was in his chariot he summoned you to climb on.

"What's the matter with you, hm?" he asked when you pulled his arm, before he ordered the fire attack.

"Don't do it please"

"Excuse me?"

"Let me talk with them first"

"Hm? Are you lost your mind? No way I'm watching you getting killed, not today, not ever" he griped your arm pulling you close to his furious expression of rage, confusion and concern.

"My father won't kill me!"

"What?"

"King Aetelwulf won't kill his own daughter Ivar, no matter how crazy she is." He raised his brows letting your arm, and signaling his men to wait, disappointment and surprise lingering in his eyes.

"We will go together than" he snapped the rains.

"No, you can't come with me. I won't risk losing you" you jumped from the chariot, than mounting the first horse you saw, his eyes narrowed at you.

"If something happens..."

"Have faith in me sometime Boneless" You said riding outside holding your head up high, feeling storm inside, but keeping it cool on the outside like a real princess and strong Viking warrior all at once.


	8. Chapter 8

Clash of two armies, of two worlds, was eminent and who were you to think different, but yet faith in the one who saw all from above, found its way back to your sinner heart. You nearly composed yourself after the kiss of your hero and you weren't ready to lose him, not now, not ever. Riding trough the glimmering shields and swords of familiar army you felt no fear.

Dear husband, brothers and father, you counted them all in your head riding with your head up high, and in their eyes you saw recognition of ghost. You became stranger for them and just shrugged your shoulders on realization, because for you they always were that, just strangers.

"Cease your fire" He said, and narrowed his eyes so tight that his eyes could literally burst on the sight of you, his sinner daughter. Was he even worried when he heard you went missing? Or he was relieved that he no longer had to bare your wild mind and ideas which weren't suited for women. Aethelred was always such a sweetheart, you thought as he jumped from his stallion to greet you.

"Sister?"

"Yes it's me again"

"How did you end up with heathens, did they harmed you?"

"Do I look harmed?" you asked soon after remembering that you were a mess indeed, bruised and scared more than they remembered you. You were a little lost in the depths of your brother eyes, they reminded you of mother, of home and warmth moments you used to share with them, but everything was so distant now.

He pulled you by the hair, not your crazy husband from which you made a fool that night by saving your guy, your father was the one who nearly separated skin from your skull forcing you to look at him. "Y/n tells me they held you against your will?" You opened your mouth, but he was faster than you. "There is no point my king we know they don't"

"They will pay, you too." He cut you before you even got to let the sound out. You wanted peace but you were fool. Ivar was behind those walls he could order a fire, but with you there you just knew he wouldn't and you felt you let him down, believing in absurdity and yours over exaggerated importance to people who used to be your family once.

Alfred was the one to knock you on your knees, hold your head steady there, while entire Christian forces marched to the gates of your former town. You were thinking about him then, will he survive your stupidity, craving to just stop everything and return to his embrace.

Somewhere from above, you could hear his battle cry, his power reaching to you from the distance, charging you with power to attack Alfred and knock him down. He stayed behind, unconscious in the mud, while you stole his sword and rushed trough already broken gates. Arrows were raining from above but maybe all father had you back now, when you got inside unharmed.

Heavy clouds stole the glory from sun, and everything was a lot of shades darker inside, only crimson liquid was contrasting that creepy atmosphere.

Blades were clashing all around and your eyes searched for his, did they already got to him? No. You decided and shocked your head defending your chest from a blade not even registering from which side it came.

But when you thought danger was just coincidence, heavier iron slammed the shield you caught somewhere along the way, glancing behind it you found azure eyes fueled with fury. Dear husband. Not so much, a discrete smirk danced on your face when you jumped up ready to fight like your dearest lover thought you.

He looked up, searching for help from his god, and you smiled again wondering, do I look so scary indeed? Christian berserker that's how they called him, and when he started swaying his blade at you, you realized why. It became so hard, that your breathing was paining you more than burning muscles still keeping you standing, by some miracle of adrenaline overflow.

"Shot at his horse!" you heard your father somehow, and glanced back in reflex. Dark. More pain and his snarl hovering above you with cold blade pressed to your neck.

"Where is your cripple now?" He howled, his sweat sobering you and bringing you more in the heavy moment of defeat. "I think he is just imagining the painful method to tear the skin of your bones" you spat not for a second doubting in truthfulness of your words.

"To bad he doesn't have the bones himself, maybe than I could take him as worthy opponent"

"It takes more than bones to be worthy opponent of the war god" You said amused, again fuelled with inexplicable power part of you knowing that that must be because he is close. He slammed you hard; you felt your vertebras cracking as one side of your face finished in the mud. You felt iron on your lips, and saw his hand again in the air ready to repeat the action.

Arow pierced his arm, force of it pinning the bloody hand in the ground inches of your face; you looked up, found your peace in the storm between thick eyelashes.

"Go!" he commanded focused of Heahmund who broke the arrow, swallowing the pain, taking the sword in his good hand.

Ivar's next aim was in his head, but he lost more time than necessary scanning you for possible life threatening injuries and glaring at you with concern, and in that tiny fragments bishop startled the brave stallion inflicting painful cut under his head, which caused animal to tackle the chariot.

Ivar fell on his head as you could see, and you used all of your strength to attack your husband again, but he just throw you back on the ground with such ferocity that you temporally lost consciousness again.

When you opened your eyes, you saw them fighting, you were relieved when you saw Ivar was on top, punching the life out of your husband. Your happiness was short term when few more solders came surrounding Ivar.

You needed to fight, and yet you were barely breathing. Only looking at his raw untamed power and superhuman ability to face everything fearlessly, fueled you back at your feet again, it wasn't moment to think about that for sure, but it ran through your head that it must be how his solders feel like when they follow him into the battle.

"Oh Boneless" You sighted and he heard you in some wonder, grinning at you trough the blood splatters of your husband's blood on his face.

"Come on little worm don't sleep on the battlefield" your handsome, fearless commander escaped first stab with the smile, rolling swiftly to the side. He had no weapon and you fixed that by throwing him your crossbow, which he immediately caught and already used on attacker while you dealt with two others, again dancing on the battlefield no longer wondering where you got that power from.

Dead men were painting the darkness with their blood all around you two.

"We caught the king" Ubbe came running all excited and less worried when he saw that Ivar and you are ok. "Is he alive?" Ivar asked spiting blood, than wiping his mouth and exhaling the exhaustion.

"Yes." Ubbe relieved you from your worries you fell next to Ivar too tired to even move your head from his shoulder. "Good let's keep it that way" He said confusing Ubbe, but not you. "His sons too, capture everyone who survived and tomorrow we will deal with Saxons" Older brother nodded to the one who was in charge and left, you wanted to thank him, to hold him and never let go, but your vision blurred, your limbs turned into lead and you just drifted into dream land while he kept you safe in his arms.

 

 

Heaviness of your eyelids stopped to be a problem when you saw your favorite sea within your reach. He wasn't even concerned anymore, he got used to your injuries and bruises and he knew nothing can really break you anymore.

"My brothers? Father?"

"Alive and well. At least how much they could be in the dungeons your grandfather built." He answered with half of a smirk, helping you raise your painful body from softness of his bed. Your finger instinctively started tracing dark bruise under his left eye and he gave in to your touch, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Well Boneless you are not untouchable as I can see" you teased, but actually really glad he got away only with few bruises.

"What can I say? I let your husband express his rage for taking him his wife. After all I'm not as ruthless as they say." He pouted trough his attempt at winking, making dark circles even more prominent.

"Can I see them?"

"As I'm concerned you can command my entire army"

"Ivar" You smacked his hand hard while he was teasing you with his predatory gaze.

"I say that as a tactician, it really haven't anything with how attractive you are" before you got to protest, melt or react he grabbed you by the waist attacking your lips with his, leaving a part of his soul in that passionate merging of two flamed energies. You were in pain, your face ached under his gentle touch but he could take that pain away as everything else surrounding you, even the thought that you will soon have to deal with consequences of your actions, pay and apologize for your sins, explain inexplicable.

"Sorry" he said, stopping himself when you accidentally let out a sound of pain, you tried to pull him back into the kiss again but his iron form didn't move, as well the seriousness in his gaze.

"This will have to wait, but I'm afraid your Christians can not." Well you could stole the inevitable as much you liked, but it would never change the fact you had to see your father.

 

Conversation with your family was rough, emotional and heavy, but you were glad they survived and Ivar decided to treat them as his family, although he didn't have to. He sent them home safely, promising that he won't raid their land anymore, and he didn't do it for you. He really had other plans; England became too small for his appetites. They will never forgive you but they are alive, you were telling to yourself while their chariots were furthering away from your sight.

"If someone told me that I will let Aetelwulf survive our next meeting I would laugh so hard, bet on my life that I will blood eagle him with delight." Ivar slithered next to you, and deep in your thoughts you barely noticed his arrival.

"People change" you said still looking through the window.

"When they find someone worthy of the change" you heard him saying and you decided to forget that window, they are in any case long gone from the horizon while your future, present and purpose was sitting behind you looking like a god, and looking at you with so much love.

"Come on Boneless, admit it. You only got bored from all this. You need more, your destiny is too conquer and to rule, not to settle down and farm" Walking to him, you settled yourself between his thighs and his calloused palms rested on the small of your back.

"I need to go to Kattegat first. I still have some unfinished business there" His features tightened, and his gaze wondered in the distance, you knew he was thinking about the revenge and his marriage was necessary for success in that regard, for that you both knew.

"I want to come with you" you stated letting your body rest on his lap, gently tracing across his sharp cheekbones with your fingertips.

"No. You will stay here." He was serious again taking your hands in his. "I need someone who I can trust to take care of everything here while I'm gone, and you need rest and time to work on your designs."

"I don't believe I will be a able to keep everything under control, I'm not you Boneless" your honesty dropped your head on his shoulder and you closed your eyes, not ready to think you will have to let him go. You couldn't imagine your days anymore without his presence.

"But you are brilliant little worm, fierce and strong and you know that I'm good judge of character. I trust you with my life. I believe I won't be long gone." He embraced you tight and gentle, going with his fingers through your hair soothing you as he could sense tiny tears which started to flow to his shoulder.

"I hope I won't fail you"

"You couldn't even if you tried"

"When will the wedding ceremony be held?" You asked clumsy remembering reality after glancing trough the window at princess Agot gracious silhouette. He clenched his jaw, getting further from you as he could in given position and feeling the cold coming from his presence you stud up and started walking around in circles as you were admiring the pictures on the wall.

"When I get back from Kattegat" he said determined, surprising you with his answer and change of plans, but pleasantly because with new turn of event you had time to accomplish your plan and prepare the surprise you wanted. "But.." he continued and you stormed to place your finger on his lips before he even got to finish his thought.

"I know, your marriage won't change anything between us. Do what you must Boneless. I could wait till eternity, and I know I won't want anybody else" his eyes spread in surprise and he pulled you almost violently in his lap again, making you lose your breath than staring in you with staggering intensity.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"Being you is more than enough" you said biting your lip as his hand traveled along the curves of your body, you whimpered when he squeezed your behind and in the next moment pulled you up in a kiss.

 

 

Wind was blowing strong, cooling of your feeling of jealousy which you were trying to suppress and deny to yourself when you saw Agot walking next to him, ready for travel and excited because she will have her future husband all to herself during the long boat journey.

Your gazes met and she lifted up corner of her lip, raising her head high when passing next to you. Graciously she pulled up her dress and stepped on the boat, and you were avoiding looking at Ivar so you could contain yourself from kissing him goodbye till his return.

Last night which you spent together barely getting to rest was still warming your body from up inside, pictures of his naked body lingering in your mind making you blush.

He caught your leg and you didn't even saw him sneaking up on you.

"General" he said and you did your best to behave as one, professional and objective, but mission was close to impossible with his stormy blue eyes more beautiful than any shade restless sea had to offer.

"Commander" you said and he chuckled on your serious expression, making you smile a little against your will.

"Stay safe and well, it won't be long till I return" He said but wind was messing with his hair and shielding potential transparent liquid in his eyes. He beckoned you to kneel next to him. "I will come back fast I promise even if that means that I would have to swim across the sea for you, and you know how much I hate water"


	9. Chapter 9

With Ivar away, long nights were filed with nightmares, but every morning you would leave your room with the smile and run off to the forgery.

You were proud on your training that made you strong enough to wield a hammer and shape the iron according to your drawings, and last project you occupied your mind with was making you incredibly happy and tiny bit of anxious, in case your estimation was wrong. Well it couldn't be, you were comforting yourself, this will work, I know it will.

You admired the final result of your hard work, polishing final touches just to make sure to be perfect, when you heard people shouting.

"The king is back" heart hammered hard inside your chests, and your legs rushed out in their fastest pace, running to the docks you whipped beads of sweat from your forehead, noticing on the way how your hands became coal black and that strains of your hair are sticking all around.

But desire to see that ocean deep eyes and be held in his tight embrace, was only accelerating the pace which let you on the edge, from which you saw three big boats approaching.

You zoomed decks in hope to spot your commander but men standing tall in front were blocking your view, and your anxiety grew.

Ubbe jumped in knee deep water first and waved you avidly. Judging by his wide grin, you were relieved and you rushed in to cold water, searching for Ivar with your gaze.

"Little worm!" he shouted and you followed his voice to the sight of most magnificent face you laid your eyes on. His braid grown even longer, and his armor was new, darker suiting to his bright eyes even better than previous.

He was leaning on the edge, slightly annoyed he couldn't jump in the water and run to your embrace, averting his eyes from you, he searched for closest of his men to get him out.

You waited patiently till they set him on the wooden box on the land, and stormed in his lap hugging him so tight with your new found strength that you almost surprised him.

"You reek on iron" He commented hungrily biting your lower lip, and moved away to study your face in detail. His eyes glimmered and he wasn't blinking, you felt self-conscious again, and how heat is rising to your cheeks.

"I like you dirty" he winked tugging your waist closer to his firm body and you nuzzled your nose in his neck. Little drop of emotions spilling over, glided down your cheek, but in the next moment he was tugging hard on your attempt of a ponytail, making you look at him again.

"Hey, don't get all soft on me right now" he pouted wiping that tear mixed with dirt. Before you get to protest he shut your mouth with hungry kiss, keeping your head in place while exploring inside of your mouth like he is doing it for the first time. You mimicked his moves and caught his braid tight, he smiled in the middle of the kiss and you did too.

"Come on Ivar, I can't wait for you two whole eternity here, I'm starving" Ubbe said, and Ivar narrowed his eyes on his brother, wanting to continue and ignore him, but you jumped from his lap deciding it will certainly be more comfortable in the bedroom for what were you about to do.

"I hope you will choke on your food brother" Ivar hissed, but still climbing on Ubbe's back and holding him tight around his shoulders on the way to the castle.

 

As usual his Vikings snatched him before you, but you used the time to groom, wash of particles of iron and dust from your face and body, although he liked you that way, you smiled on the thought, remembering again, how the journey changed him, how he became more mature, calm and steady. More captivating that he already was, and with him being image of perfection you didn't believed that is even possible.

You craved for some alone time with your idol, your men. But he wasn't yours. Dark thoughts find their way to your head again, and you remembered that we will soon be married man, he was promised and you even prepared him a wedding gift. Where was Agot? in all excitement and emotions you greeted him like a lover, without even considering her existence? But you didn't saw her.

What if she managed to find a way to his heart, was he acting like before when he saw you? You started to over analyze and worry, felling sick and unable to breathe in properly.

He dragged his body to your room, letting himself inside to find you curled up in the bed, facing the wall and just lying there instead of join him on the feast.

He pulled his body up and lied next to you, without words wrapping his heavy arm around yours glued to your trembling chests. Him being silent surprised you, but feeling comfort under his hand you didn't spoke to, you just wished that it could stay like that for the eternity.

But after a while you asked. "What this suppose to mean Boneless?"

"I just missed to feel you close to me" You melted under his honesty and he tugged you in even tighter placing a soft long kiss on your shoulder and resting his head there with some silent sadness radiating from his presence.

"Aren't you supposed to be with your men, celebrating your victories?"

"I'm grown sick from those fools. Your proximity is only thing I need to feel like at home again. Speaking of which, you were supposed to join us too. Why were you lying here, are you sick?" On the concern he turned you around to face him.

"I'm not sick. It's just... I needed to get some rest before I fall to your hands Boneless" You teased and lied a little. His eyes grew wider, whole face of a heathen commander transforming in predator mode, while his hand rested on your warm cheek keeping you under his gaze.

"I need rest too, tomorrow is the wedding." He said, and you turned your head and body other way deifying his unwillingness to let you.

"Yeah you should, I have one surprise for you for whom you will need to be restful"

"Is it a new weapon?" he asked with excitement of a child in his voice.

"You will have to wait till tomorrow. Good night Ivar" You said grinning and imagining his face tomorrow when you reveal him a gift you made with so much love.

 

You got up before him, informing the servants to send him to the blacksmith hut when he wakes up.

There you made sure again that everything is as it was supposed to be, and you covered your invention with sandy fabric.

You were taping your feet standing next to window, and you saw him coming to you powerfully like a beast hauling his body over the ground, his sculpted muscles rippling with every move.

"It's a weapon, I knew it" He said trough traces of exhaustion in his voice and lot more excitement dancing there. His brilliant eyes scanned entire place, while you were smiling enigmatically. When he finished his search his attention was again back at you. "Right?" he asked crawling closer to you; you shocked your head and grinned even wider.

"What is it then?" It got you little scared, now when he was so close to your gift, what if it doesn't work, the least you wanted is to see him disappointed, but the most of it you wanted to see him happy, so you turned around and pulled that blanket away from your invention.

He spread his eyes, and silently crawled closer to the metal, touching the polished coppery colored expanse, his eyes becoming glassy.

"What kind of sick joke is this, hm?" He asked angrily, his nostrils flaring; you tensed and crouched down so you could be on the same eye level.

"It's not a joke. This will help you walk." Your voice was trebling you shivered from his reaction.

"I couldn't believe I thought you were different that you accept me as I am. You wanted to fix me all along." He was hurt and angry, he got it all wrong and you were on the wedge of tears, your heart was pausing that sprinting.

"I never wanted to fix you. I don't see what is there to be fixed, you are perfect to me just as you are, and I wouldn't change a thing"

"Well I see differently" He frowned gesturing to metal braces you built.

"Your legs as they are made you in what you are today, no one wield that kind of power and I don't think no one ever will. Only I thought maybe you would like to try this, that you will enjoy to command your men standing tall in front of your enemies, but if you don't like it, it doesn't matter to me, we will just give this away to someone who needs it" You said.

"I guess I could try them on, only to prove you that it won't work" He arched his brow and pulled his body on the bench angry glaring at you.

Your hands were shaking while you were adjusting braces on his fragile legs, silence around you was heavy as his annoyed breathing, and how angry did you made him? You wondered, hating that he got it all wrong. He would probably hate you for the rest of your life for this, what were you thinking? You were stuck in dangerous train of thoughts as the moment of testing the device was approaching.

Will the construction will be strong enough to support his weight, will be light enough so that his hips can move it, will it be safe enough that doesn't harm his legs underneath?

"This is stupid, even if would worked, it would take me eternity to put those on" He commented, and you wasn't trying to explain why it took you so long, and that next time it will be probably different.

When metal braces were secured on his legs, you stud up and gave him the crutches which you also modified with stable tips he could actually lean on, unlike the pointy one he gave you when you hurt your ankle.

He hesitated and observed creation on his legs, you recognized fear of disappointment in his eyes, and just prayed it won't be justified.

"Come help me out" he commanded and you crouched and wrapped your arms under his armpits, his breath was fire and rage coming out from everyone of his pores while you managed to raise him to his feet.

You moved away and saw him standing but still putting too much weight on the crutches than on his legs, and silently you nodded giving him signal to try.

Hesitating the moment more, he finally made a step towards you and discrete smile broke his anger and fear, still he was focused and tensed but making another more, more stabile then previous he felt more encouraged and confident.

"What kind of sorcery is this little worm?" He asked, observing you from above and judging by his smile enjoying the view.

"The best one" you responded excited and ready to jump to the roof seeing him making more stabile steps to you, it worked even better than you thought you will, you concluded he will eventually need only one crutch, because his right leg was all wrapped in metal to his him, which made her enough to hold him up.

"How did you...?" He asked standing tall in front of you, caressing your face with widest grin you ever saw on that handsome face.

"My mind is filled with ideas Boneless" You teased wishing to hug him with all of your being, only little hesitating so you don't throw him out of balance, he still needed to practice but most important was that it worked, that he was incredibly happy and ready to conquer the worlds like he only could.

 

The rest of the morning he was walking around without a break, proudly showing of your genius invention to his brothers and you, you let that that happiness suppress the sadness for the fact you will soon have to let him go to the other women.

Everybody was working on the preparation for the ceremony on which their glorious king will become married man.

Why would I care? I love him, his happiness is the most important thing in entire existence and I won't stand in the way of it. You decided, still enjoying the sight of him walking proudly around the town, making sure that everything is perfect for the ceremony and it hit you again, insecurity resurfaced to haunt you.

"Why does he care? It's just a formal thing, why is he paying attention to the smallest details. He doesn't love her. But then again, he could change his mind while spending so much time alone with her?" man can be easily seduced. You remembered your mother's words. There is no such a thing as love, remember my words, it's only need that keeps couples together, and one day you will realize that.

"Hey y/n can you please take this sword to Ubbe, he forgot to take it when he saw Ivar with his new legs" One of the blacksmiths asked content written all over his face, you knew it must be because he respected and loved Ivar too, because no matter how powerful he was, he never refused to do the hardest jobs although he never really had to.

"Sure" you smiled, and raced to find Ubbe after taking that heavy sword. It was good to occupy your mind a little and not think about Ivar's princess.

You saw him disappearing inside the castle and rushed inside after him, walking next to the open door of one of the rooms you heard Ivar.

"I'm dying my brother. This is a terrible idea. I would rather just took her somewhere far now, and held her under me for days." You heard and your body stopped there, although mind wanted to run away as further from the truth as possible.

"Have patience tonight she is only yours. Let us all enjoy in her beauty today when she pledges her faithfulness to you" Ubbe said.

"I never thought I could fall in love, especially not in her" It was true after all, your worst fears came in reality and tears started forming in incredible speed, air became heavier and it's not like you wished any.

"How could you not. She is the only women worthy of you. I always liked and admired her. If you ruin this, if you hurt her brother, I will kill you" Well princess Agot enchanted them all, your mind commented poisoning you even more.

"Not that you could Ubbe, but I won't hurt her ever. Now help me get ready for the ceremony" He said and letting that sword fall from your hand, you ran outside as the devil was at your feet.

You could let him marry for his benefits, but he was marring out of love, and that pained more than it was bearable.

You decided to go away from him, because you couldn't watch him love another woman, you weren't mad at him, even then he was your god and he deserved love, only you couldn't stay and witness him having it with another women while you were blind for another men, and you knew it will stay like that till forever.

 

Riding faster than the wind, crying like waterfalls lived behind your eyes, you could hear voices calling your name behind you. Your name wasn't your own anymore, your life wasn't too.

"Stop" It was getting louder. "Y/n Stop!" Riders were chasing behind you and you couldn't care less. Probably Ivar sent them when he noticed your absence. Why does he even bother?

You decided to ignore them, race them, and leave them, him and everything behind in the dust. 

He will be more than fine without me, now when he is in love. He won't suffer, maybe a little... but it will pass, only for me it never will. You thought, torturing that animal to run as the life will end if its stop, knowing your might if you again met those eyes. If you remind yourself again, what are you walking away from.

"Ivar is hurt!" You jerked those rains hard registering the meaning of shouting from behind.

Vikings surrounded you. Ubbe was among them.

"How? Will he?" You asked crying even harder, although you wanted you could stop.

"He fell from the stairs" Ubbe said and got your heart target of thousand invisible arrows.   
It was your fault. You cursed yourself, what do you even thought making him those stupid braces. You could never forgive yourself if something happens to him.

"Take me to him!" You shouted already snapping the rains and racing even faster, your head spinning from the lack of oxygen.

They were right all along. My parents knew, my mind is cursed. You were thinking on the way. I will never build anything again.

Gods, Chris, Odin please just don't let anything happen to him. Punish me. Punish me for eternity, just don't let anything happen to him.

 

Ubbe surpassed you near the settlement.

"Follow me" And so you did, your heart wanting out before you.

It confused you when you saw where he was taking you. "Where is he Ubbe? What are those people still wanting here?"

"Where is Ivar?" you asked in panic, jumping from your horse, looking around the place where ceremony should be held.

"Right behind you little worm, only you will have to make this thing faster" You heard him and turned around happy to see him walking slowly to you, from what you saw he wasn't hurt. But you still were.

"What is the meaning of this? You took over years of my life startling me like that" You furiously slammed his cheek.

"You wanted to leave" He added after fluttering with those stupid marvelous eyelashes.

"I'm going back home. Our game is over"

"It hasn't even started" He said determined, passion burning in his eyes, in his voice, while yours were trembling.

"Bulshit Bonelesss. Go and tell that to your bride."

"I'm already doing it" He said making one step closer and your knees buckled, "She almost missed her own wedding" ha added and you froze looking him in disbelief under your eyelashes.

"Don't play with me like that Ivar" You whispered, closing your eyes and trying to wake up.

"For a genius you could really be so stupid sometime little worm" he said, freeing one of his arms from the crutch and wiping flood from under your eyes.

"Where is Agot?"

"In Kattegat, or who knows where. And who cares any way?"

"How? Aren't you? Her father's army?"

"Who cares about mortal army when I have war goddess next to my side" He winked, smiled and meant every word of it. You hugged him so tightly that he almost fell and chuckled, you couldn't let go. You didn't wanted.

"If she accepts to marry me of course" He added playfully and you shouted.

"There is nothing I want more Boneless"

 

T H E E N D


End file.
